Successful Use of Early Therapeutic Hypothermia in an MDMA and Amphetamine Intoxication-Induced Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest A Case Report.
Deaths caused by recreational drug abuse have increased considerably in recent years. Therapeutic hypothermia offers the potential to improve neurological outcomes in post-resuscitation patients. A 19-year-old man was brought to our emergency department after suffering out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation (VF) cardiac arrest. He was resuscitated at our emergency department again due to VF. Urine analysis showed high levels of amphetamine and 3,4 methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) (ecstasy). The patient was intubated, sedated, and ventilated. Within 1 h after the return of spontaneous circulation and hemodynamic stabilization, therapeutic hypothermia was initiated for neurologic protection. An external-cooling device was used for cooling. He was maintained at 33