Sodium bicarbonate is used frequently during cardiac arrest due to legacy behavior (doing it because it’s traditionally been done) and the perception that its use is harmless. In recent years, there has been increasing evidence from studies evaluating both in-hospital and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest that sodium bicarbonate is not beneficial for empiric use during resuscitation efforts, leading the American Heart Association to classify its use as a Class III (no benefit) recommendation in the 2020 Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support guidelines. Further, its use may actually be negatively associated with outcomes such as achievement and maintenance of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), survival to discharge, and favorable neurological outcomes. This session will address proposed mechanisms of the potential deleterious effects of sodium bicarbonate administration, several studies evaluating outcomes in patients given sodium bicarbonate compared with patients who were not, cardiac arrest situations in which its use may be beneficial, and the role pharmacists can play in ensuring appropriate usage.

This program has been planned for Baptist Health employees. An access code will be required.