🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1989Aug9.175048.21910@utzoo.uucp>, henry@utzoo.uucp (Henry Spencer) writes:
> >... Once the heart starts
> >fibrillating, it will not tend to regularize itself; someone must apply
> >a pulse of current (>> threshold) in order to kick the oscillator out of
> >its unstable mode and back into a regular phased operation...

	In some cases of ventricular fibrillation, a sharp physical blow to
the mid-sternum ("precordial thump") will arrest ventricular fibrillation -
provided that the physical blow is administered within 60 seconds of the
onset of fibrillation.

> Something I've occasionally wondered about:  granted that practically
> nothing but a strong shock will get the oscillator functioning properly
> again, would CPR mechanically override the fibrillating heart muscle and
> keep blood flowing?

	Properly administered CPR will indeed maintain some level of cardiac
circulation even in the presence of ventricular fibrillation.

<>  Larry Lippman @ Recognition Research Corp. - Uniquex Corp. - Viatran Corp.
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