Podcast 742: Pulse Check During CPR

<p> </p> <p><strong>Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD</strong></p> <p><strong>Educational Pearls:</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Pulse checks are necessary during CPR to check for return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Previous studies have shown that assessing ROSC with palpating for pulse are not a very consistent</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Study compared palpating pulses at carotid/femoral artery versus a newly contrived gold standard for pulse checks</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">The gold standard used was an increase in end tidal CO2 + cardiac activity on ultrasound + perfusing rhythm on ECG</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Carotid artery palpation was the best location to confirm pulse during pulse check, although femoral artery palpation</span></li> <li style="list-style: none; display: inline"> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="2"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Carotid artery palpation was 92% accurate versus 82% accuracy with femoral pulse check</span></li> </ul> </li> <li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1"><span style= "font-weight: 400;">Regardless of chosen site, remember 10 seconds is the maximum amount of time for a pulse check before resuming CPR</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>References</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Yılmaz G, Bol O. Comparison of femoral and carotid arteries in terms of pulse check in cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A prospective observational study. Resuscitation. 2021;162:56-62. doi:10.1016/j.resuscitation.2021.01.042</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD</span></em></p> <p> </p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Emergency Medical Minute