KARACHI: Nov 29: A workshop was held here on Thursday at Sobraj Maternity Hospital for doctors and post graduate students of the hospital.
The workshop discussed problems of early diagnosis of cardiac arrest and proper application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
The participants of the workshop were informed that the CPR involves applying external chest compression to make the heart pump and breathing for the victim by mouth-to-mouth ventilation.
The speakers included Prof Tipu Sultan, Dr Saeeda Haider, Dr Jamil Akhter and Dr Zahid Selod, all belonging to Department of Anaesthesiology & Surgical ICU Civil Hospital Karachi.
Prof Tipu Sultan emphasised knowledge of the CPR to common citizens in general and every doctor in particular as in case of an early heart attack, death can often be avoided if a bystander starts the CPR promptly (within 5 minutes of onset of ventricular fibrillation).
He added that when paramedics arrive, medications and/or electrical shock (cardioversion) to the heart can be administered to convert ventricular fibrillation to a normal heart rhythm.
Therefore, prompt CPR and rapid paramedic response can improve the chances of survival.
Prof Tipu Sultan called for discontinuation of four practices being observed by doctors all over the country which are intra cardiac injection, administering solu- cortef,calcium and soda bicarb injections.
Dr.Tipu Sultan emphasised for improving post resuscitation management for lucky patients who start breathing back after administering CPR.
He said nutritional support must be provided to patients after 48 hours. The participants were informed that the loss of blood supply is caused by a complete blockage of a coronary artery by a blood clot. A coronary artery is an artery that supplies blood (along with essential nutrients) to the heart muscle.
Death of heart muscle often causes chest pain and electrical instability of the heart muscle tissue. Electrical instability of the heart causes ventricular fibrillation (chaotic electrical disturbance).
Orderly transmission of electrical signals in the heart is important for the regular beating (pumping) of the heart. A heart undergoing ventricular fibrillation simply quivers, and cannot pump or deliver oxygenated blood to the brain.
Dr Saeeda said that most heart attack deaths are due to ventricular fibrillation of the heart that occurs before the victim can reach any medical assistance or the emergency room.
These electrical disturbances of the heart can often be successfully treated with medications and other means if proper CPR is applied. She asked the doctors present at the workshop to practice CPR as much possible.
Dr Saeeda said they should counter check any neck injury among accident victims suffering from cardiac arrest.
Dr M. Jamil and Dr.Zahid Selod demonstrated proper methods of CPR on a rubber dummy and invited a few participants to do the same.
Dr Shabeen Naz urged doctors and post graduate students to attain expertise in the CPR.—PPI
