Hits

HITS is the abbreviation for:

- pericardial tamponade

- Intoxication

- Thromboembolism (e.g. in the case of myocardial infarction or pulmonary embolism [Pottgießer 2019])

- Tension pneumothorax (Herold 2018)

These are reversible causes of cardiovascular arrest (Herold 2018) and should be considered in every case of cardiovascular arrest, as there are specific treatment options in these cases (Pottgießer 2019).

The interventions are as follows

- Pericardial tamponade: Pericardiocentesis

- Intoxication: elimination procedure or antidote

- Thromboembolism: thrombolysis

- Tension pneumothorax: thoracic drainage or decompression puncture (Dodegge 2024)

HITS are generally always checked together with the 4 H's as part of a cardiovascular arrest (Dodegge 2024).

The 4 H's refer to:

- Hypoxia

- Hypovolemia

- Hyper- or hypokalemia or other electrolyte imbalances

- Hypo- / hyperthermia (Kretz 1997 / Pottgießer 2019)

1. Dodegge M, Dög J, Antwerpes F, Ostendorf N (2024) HITS. DocCheck Flexikon doi: https://flexikon.doccheck.com/en/HITS
2. Herold G et al. (2018) Internal medicine. Herold Publishing House 296
3. Kasper D L, Fauci A S, Hauser S L, Longo D L, Jameson J L, Loscalzo J et al. (2015) Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. Mc Graw Hill Education
4. Kretz F J, Becke K (1997) Anesthesia and intensive care medicine in children. Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart / New York 370
5. Pottgießer T, Schorb E, Ophoven S (2019) 80 Cases of Internal Medicine: From Clinic and Practice. Elsevier, Urban and Fischer Verlag Munich 301