Successful resuscitation of two near simultaneous cases of cardiac arrest with a review of fifteen cases occurring during supervised exercise.

Abstract

Two men with coronary heart disease experienced cardiac arrests during a recent exercise rehabilitation session. Fifteen cases of ventricular fibrillation have occurred in this program since 1968, making an average of one per six-thousand man hours of supervised exercise training. All were successfully resuscitated with no sequelae. Analysis of the patients who experience ventricular fibrillation suggests that treating patients with exercise-induced premature ventricular contractions with anti-arrhythmic drugs, proper attention to serum potassium levels, strict adherence to training pulse rates, and proper warm-up might help to prevent future similar events in an exercise program. Due to the unpredictability of ventricular fibrillation it seems preferable that individuals who have known coronary heart disease participate in exercise training under proper supervision with appropriate emergency equipment available.