Drug therapy in resuscitation from electromechanical dissociation

Joseph S. Redding's contributions to cardiac resuscitation

“…11 Late in his career he compared the use of calcium chloride with that of methoxamine in the treatment of asphyxial EMD and found calcium chloride to be far less effective. 12 These studies may figure importantly in the revision of American Heart Association standards for the use of calcium chloride in cardiac resuscitation.…”

“…12 He further concluded that the value of epinephrine was not in its direct action on the heart, but rather in its action on the peripheral vasculature. More recently, studies by Yakaitis and coworkers 10 have confirmed Redding's studies.…”

“…These studies showed that alpha blockade, but not beta blockade, significantly decreased the incidence of survival following cardiac arrest and CPR. [10][11][12][13] …”

“…He found that very few animals receiving CPR alone were resuscitated. 4,11,12 However, when the peripheral resistance was increased using either vasoconstrictor drugs or abdominal binding, there was an increase in the diastolic arterial pressure and in the successful return of the circulation. 14 In this study, Redding found "complete correlation between return of spontaneous circulation and the development of am1ic diastolic arterial pressures above 40 mm Hg, as well as complete correlation between failure of resuscitation and aortic diastolic pressures below 40 mm Hg."…”

“…Despite its potential problems, Redding strongly recommended that methoxamine be ''the drug of choice during attempted resuscitation from cardiac arrest regardless of the ECG pattern." 12 …”