Following a cardiac arrest, many patients, along with their loved ones, wonder what should be done for follow-up care and support. These individuals can take comfort in their physicians’ treatment options, which aid their recovery and help them lead healthier lifestyles. Richmond University Medical Center in Staten Island, New York, is home to a trusted Cardiovascular Department that provides expert care. See how our mission to partner with patients and families for better health is applied in our post-cardiac arrest care.
Short-Term Treatment
Upon arrival at a hospital, an Emergency Department physician will perform tests on the patient. This helps determine what caused the cardiac arrest, and aids in deciding how best to reduce risks of death or long-term health issues. Physicians typically use blood tests/imaging tests to make these evaluations.
Then, physicians may consider the following techniques for short-term care:
- Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO): During this treatment, the patient’s blood pumps into a heart-lung machine, which eliminates carbon dioxide from the blood and releases oxygen-enriched blood back into the body.
- Oxygen therapy: The heart stops pumping blood during cardiac arrest, depriving the body of the constant flow of oxygen it needs to function. Oxygen therapy helps restore the weakened body, providing supplemental oxygen via intubation, a mask, or tubes inserted inside the nose.
- Targeted temperature management (TTM): This method involves applying cooling blankets, helmets, or ice packs to lower the body temperature and protect the brain.
Physicians will also consider administering drugs, like beta-blockers or ACE inhibitors, which prevent abnormal heart rhythms. Additionally, they may decide that the patient should undergo one of these procedures or surgeries to repair their heart and restore blood flow:
- Catheter ablation: During this procedure, electrode catheters travel through the veins to areas within the heart. They apply cold temperatures and warm radiofrequency waves. This burns tissues and blocks unusual electrical charges within the heart that can cause a cardiac arrest.
- Coronary angioplasty: Physicians perform this procedure to open clogged or narrow arteries. They insert a balloon placed on the tip of a catheter into a blocked blood vessel. When they inflate the balloon, it pushes material blocking blood flow up against the sides of the artery.
- Coronary bypass surgery: During this surgery, physicians take a blood vessel from the chest or leg. They connect the vessel under the clogged heart artery, aiding blood flow to the heart muscle.
- Corrective heart surgery: A patient undergoes this surgery so physicians can repair heart deformities, impaired heart tissue, or heart valves. This reduces irregular heartbeats that can cause cardiac arrest.
Another option for short-term care is cardiopulmonary rehabilitation, which may be recommended by physicians. It is offered on-site at our Cardiopulmonary Outpatient Center. Cardiac rehab is ideal for patients who are recovering from heart-related surgical procedures or cardiac emergencies. The programs help patients alter their lifestyle habits and support a smooth recovery.
Long-Term Treatment
All patients need time to recover from a cardiac arrest. They must also discuss what their recovery plan will look like with their loved ones, caregivers, and healthcare team before leaving the hospital.
It is normal for patients to feel changes in their mental and physical capabilities after a cardiac arrest emergency. Physical side effects cardiac arrest survivors may experience may include:
- Fatigue
- Difficulty sleeping or swallowing
- Issues with motor skills, speech, or vision
- Muscle weakness
- Depression, anxiety, or other mental health challenges
A physician may suggest several adjustments a patient can make in their life if they observe these physical side effects, such as:
Lifestyle Changes
Physicians may suggest lifestyle changes for a patient to reduce the risk of another cardiac arrest. The following are some common recommendations for what should be done for follow-up care and support after a cardiac arrest emergency:
- Avoiding recreational drugs and alcohol
- Being more active
- Eating healthier foods
- Managing stress
- Monitoring health conditions
- Taking all medications as prescribed
Some patients may need a device, known as an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD), implanted under the skin in the chest. They also may be told to wear an external cardiac defibrillator. Both tools produce low-energy shocks if the heart experiences rapid, irregular contractions of muscle fibers or an increased heart rate.
Another instrument for certain cardiac arrest patients, ventricular assist devices are mechanical pumps that are surgically implanted, helping help the heart transport blood around the body. There are three types of ventricular assist devices:
- Left ventricular assist device (LVAD): This aids the left side of the heart in transporting blood filled with oxygen throughout the body.
- Right ventricular assist device (RVAD): This helps the right side of the heart deliver blood deprived of oxygen to the lungs.
- Biventricular assist device: This gives support to each side of the heart to pump blood.
Joining a Support Group
It is normal for patients to feel anxious or depressed after a cardiac arrest emergency. Physicians may suggest that a patient talk to other survivors within their community or online. They can discuss what happened to them and express their feelings with someone who can relate to them.
Mental Health Therapy
Cardiac arrest survivors may have trouble adjusting to new circumstances in their lives or may find they are being more dependent on others. Loved ones also cope with emotional issues after a cardiac arrest emergency, as they may have their own trauma from witnessing a medical event. Avoiding reminders of what happened, lacking focus, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are common occurrences among those connected to a cardiac arrest event.
A behavior health professional, like a licensed physician, therapist, counselor, or board-certified psychiatrist helps a patient and their loved ones receive the mental healthcare they need. By expressing feelings to others through discussions, patients, their loved ones, and other cardiac arrest survivors help lift each other up.
Seek Supportive Sources for Post-Cardiac Arrest Care
By understanding what should be done for follow-up care and support, patients and their families can find an effective treatment approach after a cardiac arrest emergency. Contact our award-winning health professionals at Richmond University Medical Center in Staten Island, NY, to learn more about our cardiac care treatment options.
