Managing Cardiac Arrest in Infants and Children

Abstract

When a patient's heart stops suddenly or unexpectedly, the first aims should be to start the heart again and to ventilate the lungs. In many cases this must be done by externally compressing the heart and by mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. As soon as possible the patient should be intubated, given drugs to correct acidosis or arrhythmia, and if necessary, defibrillated.