Cardiac arrest (CA) represents a leading cause of death in the western world. CA is a dramatic clinical event that can occur suddenly and often without premonitory signs. This condition is characterized by sudden loss of consciousness caused by the lack of cerebral blood flow, which occurs when the heart ceases to pump. Chest compressions (CCs) and early defibrillation (DF) are the cornerstones of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in CA, while the only definitive treatment for ventricular fibrillation (VF) remains prompt DF. The present thesis includes both experimental and clinical studies directed to evaluate new pharmacological and electrophysiological approaches that have a potential benefit in the outcome of patients affected from CA.

In order to achieve such aims, we performed two separate studies concurrently. The first study was directed to investigate experimentally the role of β1-blockade during CPR, while the second series of study evaluated prospectively the feasibility of a real time VF waveform analysis, in particular Amplitude Spectrum Area (AMSA), to guide interventions during resuscitation and to potentially diagnose underlying cardiac ischemia.

Both the studies therefore concurred to the same goal of identify new tools to improve the outcome of CA and are presented together in this thesis as a single study with an introduction, methods, results, and
discussion section. Nevertheless, in order to help the readers going throughout the work, each section is divided into sub-sections presenting separately the studies.