Precordial Thump

Excerpt

Almost all fictional medical television shows feature a scene where a patient suddenly suffers from a cardiac arrest, and a heroic doctor thumps on their chest and seemingly miraculously saves them. The precordial thump, although frequently featured as successful in show business is less effective, and its use is more limited in real life. Currently, its use is recommended only for witnessed, monitored, unstable ventricular tachycardia when a defibrillator is not immediately available. The technique is fast and easy to perform, and the first descriptions of the procedure date back to the 1920s. The goal of precordial thump is to restore organized electrical cardiac activity and convert the patient from ventricular tachycardia to a more stable and organized rhythm.