epinephrine

Epinephrine has been a mainstay in cardiac arrest treatment since the early days of resuscitation. When I first learned advanced cardiac life support, epinephrine was administered to “every pulseless individual,” or so the mnemonic went to help remind the importance of this first line pharmacologic agent. On the positive side, epinephrine increases ATP production by releasing stored glucose, which in theory provides energy for the myocardium to contract during the low flow state of cardiac arrest. Epinephrine also constricts the arterioles and increases coronary artery filling pressures, increasing blood flow to the myocardium. Epinephrine is not without downsides, however. The arterioles supplying the brain areRead More →