to arrest the heart , usually they use cold CPG because it's considered as a mechanical way to arrest the heart ( it helps to decrease the contractility of the heart till it  start fibrilating at moderate hypothermia  30-35 then it will be toltally arrested with the presence of high potassium level). they give it in doses (not contiuously) although, there is another way to arrest the heart with warm blood CPG but this way should be given continuously which is not prefarable for many surgons because it gives some difficultiy to visualize the heart.

Edited by little-perfusionist - May 19 2009 at 5:56pm