Therapeutic Hypothermia*

Advanced Treatment for Sudden Cardiac Death

Sudden cardiac arrest is a killer of young adults and adults of all ages. It causes more than 350,000 deaths a year. Even if patients survive, chances are high that they could have permanent brain damage. One way to save lives and lessen the risk of brain damage is to quickly cool the patient's core body temperature and brain through a process call therapeutic hypothermia. With our Code Cool It program, Baptist Health Lexington uses therapeutic hypothermia in eligible patients who are resuscitated after cardiac arrest.

Many different health care providers and medical specialists must work closely together to treat patients with hypothermia. Cooling often begins before the patient is transferred to Baptist Health Lexington. Special equipment, medications and processes are used to quickly cool the patient to the ideal temperature. Then, the patient is carefully managed by cardiologists, intensive care physicians and other medical staff throughout treatment and recovery. Unfortunately, only 5% of hospital cardiac arrest victims survive. At Baptist Health Lexington, treatment with induced hypothermia has proven to dramatically increase survival rates and neurologic outcomes.

Critical to our success is the ability to manage our patients with Arctic Sun™ Temperature Management System to rapidly cool patients to 33° C after cardiac arrest. Baptist Health Lexington's unique Code Cool It protocol is activated with a single phone call that notifies the Code Cool It team and enables the referring physician to promptly reach the interventional cardiologist and intensivist to discuss the patient's care.