Effects of epinephrine and vasopressin in a piglet model of prolonged ventricular fibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation*

Abstract

In this pediatric porcine model of ventricular fibrillation, the combination of epinephrine with vasopressin during cardiopulmonary resuscitation resulted in significantly higher levels of left ventricular myocardial blood flow than either vasopressin alone or epinephrine alone. Both vasopressin alone and the combination of epinephrine with vasopressin, but not epinephrine alone, improved total cerebral blood flow during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. In stark contrast to asphyxial cardiac arrest, vasopressin alone or in combination with epinephrine appears to be of benefit after ventricular fibrillation in the pediatric porcine model.