Intractable cardiac arrest due to lidocaine toxicity successfully resuscitated with lipid emulsion.

Objective: Demonstrate a case report involving successful use of lipid emulsion therapy for intractable cardiac arrest due to lidocaine toxicity.

Data Source: Lipid emulsion therapy has been shown to be effective in treating the cardiotoxic effects of such drugs as bupivacaine, verapamil, propranolol, and clomipramine as mentioned in a 2009 editorial in Critical Care Medicine by Jeffrey Bent. The mechanism of action of lipid emulsion therapy is not well defined and has been postulated to work by both a "lipid sink," decreasing circulating amounts of drugs to the periphery, or through a direct "energy source" to the myocardium.

A review of heart failure management in the elderly population.

Background: In the United States, the incidence of heart failure (HF) in the elderly population (age, > or =65 years) approached 10 per 1000 population in 2006, and HF was a common reason for hospitalization. Many clinical features and the management of HF differ in elderly patients compared with their younger counterparts due to changes in physiology and the presence of comorbidities.

Objective: The aim of this review was to explore the risks and benefits of different classes of HF pharmacotherapy for chronic HF management in the elderly population.