In the second half of this two part episode, Dr. David Leon unpacks some of the most hotly debated topics in resuscitation—fluids, blood products, ECMO, and post-arrest care. He breaks down the pros and cons of crystalloids (yes, even the “pasta water” debate), explains why lactated Ringer’s is often preferred over normal saline, and dips into the use of albumin and colloids. Dr. Leon also discusses the promise and challenges of extracorporeal life support (ECLS), the evolving role of targeted temperature management (TTM), and even peeks into what advances the future might hold. It’s a thoughtful, forward-looking conversation every resuscitationist should hear.

What do you think of Dr. Leon’s tips? Are you using these tools in your practice? We’d love to hear from you. Share them with us on social media @empulsepodcast or connect with us on ucdavisem.com

Hosts:

Dr. Julia Magaña, Professor of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at UC Davis

Dr. Sarah Medeiros, Professor of Emergency Medicine at UC Davis

Guest:

Dr. David Leon, Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine and Anesthesia at UC Davis

Resources:

American Heart Association (AHA) Algorithms

Perman SM, Elmer J, Maciel CB, Uzendu A, May T, Mumma BE, Bartos JA, Rodriguez AJ, Kurz MC, Panchal AR, Rittenberger JC; American Heart Association. 2023 American Heart Association Focused Update on Adult Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support: An Update to the American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care. Circulation. 2024 Jan 30;149(5):e254-e273. doi: 10.1161/CIR.0000000000001194. Epub 2023 Dec 18. PMID: 38108133.
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Thank you to the UC Davis Department of Emergency Medicine for supporting this podcast and to Orlando Magaña at OM Productions for audio production services.