Download PEA, Pseudo EMD

PEA, Pseudo EMD
PEA ('Pulseless Electrical Activity') is preferred over the old term
EMD =
('Electromechanical Dissociation'). PEA describes exactly what you see
- =
there is an electrical rhythm on the monitor but you can't feel a
pulse. =
The term EMD implies some weird bit of pathophysiology where the
myocytes =
are dissociated from or unable to respond to an electrical signal,
which =
is just confusing. PEA doesn't make any assumptions about physiology
and =
is therefore the preferred term. By sticking to the term PEA you don't
=
need to invoke 'meta wierdness' like 'pseudo EMD' which is merely
saying =
that there still is some blood flow but you can't detect it.
Keep things simple, and just think of the CAUSES of PEA, ie obstructive
=
shock (tamponade, tension pneumothorax, massive pulmonary embolus), =
profound hypovolaemia or LV rupture.