ASYSTOLE

What is Asystole?
Absence of all electrical activity within ventricles. Asystole is a criteria of certifying that the patient is dead.

Definition:

Asystole is defined as no cardiac electrical activity causing ventricles to stop contractions, leading to no cardiac output & no blood flow.

Causes of Asystole:

• MI
• Underlying heart disease
• Severe uncorrected acid base imbalance
• Electrical shock
• Electrolyte imbalance such as hyperkalemia
• Massive pulmonary embolism
• Prolonged hypoxia
• Drug intoxication

Characteristic of Asystole

• Rate & Regularity : Total absence of electrical activity
• P waves : Absent
• QRS complexes : Absent
• PR & QT intervals: Absent

Sign & symptoms:

• Cyanosis
• No pulse
• Apnea

Medical & Nursing management:

• CPR & BLS to be started
• Epinephrine, Atropine, Vassopressin, Sodium Bicaronate
• Oxygenation
• IV fluids
• ET Intubation 
• Transcutaneous pacing

Distinctive Facts:

• Ix: ECG - No atrial or ventricular rhythm on ECG
• Life saving procedures such as percardiocentesis can be perfomed.
• Defibrillator might not be used as the problme lies in response of myocardial tissue to electrical impulses.
• Asystole is also called as cardiac flat line.

Prognosis:

Prognosis is usually poor.Even in the rare case that a rhythm reappears, if asystole has persisted for fifteen minutes or more, the brain will have been deprived of oxygen long enough to cause brain death.