Pulseless electrical activity

Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA) (also known by the older term Electromechanical Dissociation or Non-Perfusing Rhythm'

Overview
Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA) (also known by the older term Electromechanical Dissociation or Non-Perfusing Rhythm) refers to any heart rhythm observed on the electrocardiogram that should be producing a pulse, but is not. The condition may or may not be caused by electromechanical dissociation. The most common cause is hypovolemia.

The normal condition when electrical activation of muscle cells precedes mechanical contraction is known as Electromechanical Coupling.

The goal of treatment of PEA is to treat the underlying cause. These possible causes are remembered as the Hs and Ts.
 * Hypovolemia
 * Hypoxia
 * Hydrogen ions (Acidosis)
 * Hypothermia
 * Hyperkalemia or Hypokalemia
 * Hypoglycemia
 * Tablets or Toxins (Drug overdose)
 * Cardiac Tamponade
 * Tension pneumothorax
 * Thrombosis (Myocardial infarction)
 * Thrombosis (Pulmonary embolism)
 * Trauma (Hypovolemia from blood loss)

In those cases in which an underlying systemic cause is unable to be immediately identified, the patient should be treated as if they were in asystole: intravenous Epinephrine 1 mg every 3-5 minutes, and, if the underlying rhythm is bradycardia, Atropine 1 mg IV up to .04 mg/kg (varies with regional protocols). Both these drugs should be administered along with appropriate CPR techniques. Defibrillationis not used for this rhythm, as the problem lies in the response of the myocardial tissue to electrical impulses.