Asystole
Description
When the heart is in asystole, there is no electrical activity or movement. This indicates that the heart isn't beating. It is often referred to as a flatline. Everyone experiences asystole when they pass away. However, some circumstances increase the probability of it occurring quickly. Certain kinds of arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeats, are one of them. Asystole can also be caused by genetics or a heart condition that runs in the family.
Symptoms
The last rhythm of a cardiac arrest is asystole. Someone in cardiac arrest might have:
- No response
- No breathing
- No pulse
- Loss of consciousness
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View MoreCauses
Any illness that results in cardiac arrest can produce asystole. Asystole has several frequent causes, including:
- Low oxygen level
- Blood clots in the heart or lungs
- Toxins
- Loss of blood
- High or low potassium levels
- High level of acids in the body
- Very low body temperature
- Blood or fluid around the heart
- Heart attack
Treatment
Asystole is part of cardiac arrest, which is a medical emergency where every second matters. While it is only possible to confirm asystole with an electrocardiogram, the treatment for cardiac arrest is the same regardless of the cause. Data indicate that less than 2% of people with asystole survive.
Asystole treatment includes:
- High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is considered the treatment mainstay; this can keep the blood flowing through the body.
- Epinephrine (adrenaline)
