Hypertonic solutions and hydroxyethyl starch during CPR – Is there any benefit?

Experimental studies have demonstrated that during cardiac arrest a haemoconcentration occurs, due to a shift in volume from the intravascular to the extravascular space. To compensate for this, a possible approach could be based on haemorrhagic shock models, could be the infusion of small volumes of hypertonic solutions (“small volume resuscitation”) and hydroxyethyl starch.