Capnography during Cardiac Arrest

Here is some useful info on etCO2 during cardiac arrest as well as some references pointing out benefits and limitations of the technique, as well as use in practice. etCO2 during CPR is certainly a useful​ adjunct.

The AHA Guidelines only label this as a Class  IIB recommendation and needs to be used with additional clinical parameters . Also, be able to troubleshoot the device as other factors can be involved giving an inaccurate reading .

Here are some references with additional info:

Heradstveit BE, Sunde K, Sunde GA, Wentzel-Larsen T, Heltne JK. Factors complicating interpretation of capnography during advanced life support in cardiac arrest–a clinical retrospective study in 575 patients. Resuscitation. 2012 Jul;83(7):813-8. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2012.02.021. Epub 2012 Feb 25. PubMed PMID: 22370007.

Kolar M, Krizmaric M, Klemen P, Grmec S. Partial pressure of end-tidal carbon  dioxide successful predicts cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the field: a prospective observational study. Crit Care. 2008;12(5):R115. doi: 10.1186/cc7009. Epub 2008 Sep 11. PubMed PMID: 18786260; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC2592743.

Levine RL, Wayne MA, Miller CC. End-tidal carbon dioxide and outcome of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. N Engl J Med. 1997 Jul 31;337(5):301-6. PubMed PMID: 9233867. [Free Full Text]