Table 5. Causes of perioperative cardiac arrest within 24 hours of anesthesia in adult patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery.
| Causes of cardiac arrest | Cardiac arrest cases (n=105) | 30-day mortality (n=45) |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiovascular | ||
| Acute coronary syndrome | 14 (13.3) | 10 (71.4) |
| Arrhythmia or conduction abnormality | 12 (11.4) | 4 (33.3) |
| Stress induced cardiomyopathy | 4 (3.8) | 1 (25.0) |
| Vasovagal reflex | 4 (3.8) | 0 |
| Complex congenital heart disease | 1 (1.0) | 1 (100.0) |
| Severe aortic stenosis | 1 (1.0) | 1 (100.0) |
| Circulatory | ||
| Hypovolemia and/or hemorrhagic shock | 19 (18.1) | 6 (31.6) |
| Pulmonary thromboembolism | 8 (7.6) | 4 (50.0) |
| Cardiac tamponade | 2 (1.9) | 1 (50.0) |
| Tension pneumothorax | 2 (1.9) | 0 |
| Amniotic fluid embolism | 1 (1.0) | 0 |
| Fat embolism | 1 (1.0) | 0 |
| Respiratory | ||
| Hypoventilation | 13 (12.4) | 3 (23.1) |
| Hypoxia during airway management | 7 (6.7) | 4 (57.1) |
| Hypoxia due to secretion obstruction | 2 (1.9) | 1 (50.0) |
| Metabolic | ||
| Severe metabolic acidosis | 9 (8.5) | 7 (77.8) |
| Acute electrolyte imbalance (hyperkalemia, hypocalcemia) | 5 (4.8) | 2 (40.0) |
Data is expressed as number of patients (percentage from total).