When the Lytes Go Out: A Case of Inpatient Cardiac Arrest | PSNet

When the Lytes Go Out: A Case of Inpatient Cardiac Arrest | PSNet

When the Lytes Go Out: A Case of Inpatient Cardiac Arrest

In this WebM&M spotlight case with CE/MOC, A 44-year old man with hypertension and diabetes was admitted with an open wound on the ball of his right foot that could be probed to the bone and evidence of diabetic ketoacidosis. Over the course of the hospitalization, he had ongoing hypokalemia, low magnesium levels, an electrocardiogram showing a prolonged QT interval, ultimately leading to cardiac arrest due to torsades de pointes (an unusual form of ventricular tachycardia that can be fatal if left untreated). The commentary discusses the use of protocol-based management of chronic medical conditions, the inclusion of interprofessional care teams to coordinate management, and the importance of inter-team communication to identify issues and prevent poor outcomes.