scholarly journals Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest in the Republic of Crimea: Analysis of Epidemiology and Practice of Care

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (3) ◽  
pp. 338-347
Author(s):  
A. A. Birkun ◽  
L. P. Frolova ◽  
G. N. Buglak ◽  
S. S. Olefirenko

Introduction. Efficient organization of measures aimed at decreasing mortality from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) warrants a clear understanding of OHCA epidemiology and performance of the prehospital care system in such cases. The study was aimed at performing respective analysis and identifying the ways for improving prehospital management of OHCA in the Republic of Crimea.Material and methods. Annual data from the Crimean OHCA and Resuscitation Registry for 2018 were utilized. All OHCA cases attended by emergency medical services (EMS) with attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) were included, regardless of cardiac arrest etiology or patients’ age (n=419). For ensuring conformity and comparability of the study results, data collection and analysis were executed in correspondence with the statements of the Utstein recommendations.Results. The overall incidence of EMS-attended OHCA in the Republic of Crimea was 673.3 per 100,000 population per year, the incidence of OHCA with attempted CPR – 21.9 per 100,000 population per year, the proportion of CPR attempts out of all OHCA cases – 3.3%. Mean patient age was 66.9 years, and 52.7% were male. The etiology was cardiac in 42.5% cases. In 71.8% cases OHCA was witnessed by EMS, in 25.5% – by a bystander before EMS arrival. Bystanders initiated CPR in 5.7% cases. The initial rhythm was asystole in 80.4% of all cases. When excluding EMS-witnessed cases, the mean EMS response time was 13 min. 5.0% patients had a sustained return of spontaneous circulation at hospital admission. Survival was associated with lower EMS response time (p=0.027), administration of shock (p<0.001) and advanced airway management with endotracheal tube or laryngeal mask (p=0.047).Conclusion. High incidence of OHCA, low rates of CPR commencement and low rates of survival from OHCA in the Republic of Crimea determine the necessity of implementing a comprehensive program to improve prehospital care in the region. Considering the critical relevance of early intervention in OHCA and the revealed low bystander CPR rate, the measures for involving community into the process of prehospital care should form the basis of this program.

Circulation ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 140 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahshid Abir ◽  
Timothy C Guetterman ◽  
Sydney Fouche ◽  
Samantha Iovan ◽  
Jessica L Lehrich ◽  
...  

Introduction: EMS system factors key to improved survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have not been well elucidated. This study explores factors associated with sustained return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in the field with pulse upon arrival to the ED-a measure of high quality of prehospital care-across the chain of survival. Methods: This sequential mixed methods study used data from the Michigan Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival (MI-CARES) to evaluate variation in OHCA outcomes across EMS agencies. Sites were sampled based on geography, rurality, population density, and survival rate. We visited 1 low-, 1 middle-, and 3 high-survival EMS systems. At each site, we conducted key informant interviews with field staff, mid-level managers, and leadership from EMS, police, fire, and dispatch, as well as multidisciplinary focus groups. Transcripts were coded using a structured codebook and analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: An integrated multidisciplinary approach was critical for timely OHCA care coordination across the chain of survival. Themes that emerged across all stakeholders included: 1) OHCA education and multidisciplinary training; 2) shared awareness of roles in the chain of survival and system-wide response; 4) multidisciplinary QI; and 5) leadership and initiative (Table 1). Conclusions: Recognizing the critical role of each level in the chain of survival, this study identified specific practices from EMS system stakeholders that were associated with improved survival. The next phase of this work will include validating the factors associated with increased survival identified through a statewide survey of EMS agencies in Michigan. The final product of this work will include a toolkit of best practices and an implementation guide.


Circulation ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 144 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
David Salcido ◽  
Christian Martin-Gill ◽  
LEONARD WEISS ◽  
David D Salcido

Background: Mobile phone-based dispatch of volunteers to out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has been shown to increase the likelihood of early chest compressions and AED application. In the United States, limited characterization of patients encountered as a result of such systems exists, including PulsePoint Respond, a smartphone-based volunteer dispatch system. Objective: Examine prehospital case characteristics and outcomes from a multi-year deployment of PulsePoint in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Methods: Case data, including PulsePoint determinant triggers and timing, prehospital electronic health records (EHRs), and computer aided dispatch records were obtained for suspected EMS-treated OHCA cases that did and did not generate PulsePoint alerts within the service area of Pittsburgh EMS for the period July 2016 to October 2020. EHRs were reviewed to determine true OHCA status, and OHCA case characteristics were extracted according to the Utstein template. Key characteristics and the outcome of prehospital return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) were summarized and compared between cases with and without PulsePoint dispatches. Chi-squared tests were used to determine statistical significance of relationships. Results: There were 1229 OHCA cases overall in the capture period, with an estimated 29.6% occurring in public. Of 840 total PulsePoint dispatches, 68 (8.1%) were for true OHCA. Forty-five (66.2%) of these were witnessed, 43 (63.2%) received bystander CPR, and 17 (25%) had an AED applied prior to first responder arrival. Twenty-seven (39.7%) had an initial shockable rhythm, and 34 (50%) achieved ROSC in the field. Compared to non-PulsePoint dispatch generating OHCA, PulsePoint alert-associated patients were significantly more likely to be male (p=0.024), have bystander CPR/AED application performed (p<0.001), have an initial shockable rhythm (p<0.001), and achieve ROSC (p<0.001). EMS response time, age, ALS response time, and witnessed status were not significantly different. Conclusions: A minority of PulsePoint dispatches in Pittsburgh were triggered by true OHCA. Among cases that did generate a PulsePoint dispatch, case characteristics were prognostically favorable.


BMJ Open ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (10) ◽  
pp. e039215
Author(s):  
Carl Eriksson ◽  
Amanda Schoonover ◽  
Tabria Harrod ◽  
Garth Meckler ◽  
Matt Hansen ◽  
...  

IntroductionEfforts to improve the quality of emergency medical services (EMS) care for adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have led to improved survival over time. Similar improvements have not been observed for children with OHCA, who may be at increased risk for preventable adverse safety events during prehospital care. The purpose of this study is to identify patient and organisational factors that are associated with adverse safety events during the EMS care of paediatric OHCA.Methods and analysisThis is a large multisite EMS study in the USA consisting of chart reviews and agency surveys to measure, characterise and evaluate predictors of our primary outcome severe adverse safety events in paediatric OHCA. Using the previously validated Paediatric prehospital adverse Event Detection System tool, we will review EMS charts for 1500 children with OHCA from 2013 to 2019 to collect details of each case and identify severe adverse safety events (ASEs). Cases will be drawn from over 40 EMS agencies in at least five states in geographically diverse areas of the USA. EMS agencies providing charts will also be invited to complete an agency survey to capture organisational characteristics. We will describe the frequency and proportion of severe ASEs in paediatric OHCA across geographic regions and clinical domains, and identify patient and EMS organisational characteristics associated with severe ASEs using logistic regression.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Oregon Health & Science University Institutional Review Board (IRB Approval# 00018748). Study results will be disseminated through scientific publications and presentations, and to EMS leaders and staff through local EMS medical directors, quality and training officers and community engagement activities.


2021 ◽  
pp. emermed-2020-210839
Author(s):  
Jake Turner ◽  
Aidan Brown ◽  
Rhiannon Boldy ◽  
Jenny Lumley-Holmes ◽  
Andy Rosser ◽  
...  

BackgroundThere has been little research into the prehospital management of cardiac arrest following hanging despite it being among the most prevalent methods of suicide worldwide. The aim of this study was to report the characteristics, resuscitative treatment and outcomes of patients managed in the prehospital environment for cardiac arrest secondary to hanging and compare these with all-cause out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).MethodsData from a UK ambulance service cardiac arrest registry were extracted for all cases in which treatment was provided for OHCA due to hanging between 1 January 2013 and 30 June 2018. Cases were linked to outcome data obtained from the Trauma Audit and Research Network. Comparison of the cohort was made to previously published data from a UK study of all-cause OHCA with 95% CIs calculated for the proportional difference between the studies in selected presentation and outcome variables.Results189 cases were identified. 95 patients were conveyed to hospital and four of these survived to discharge. 50 patients were conveyed despite absence of a spontaneous circulation and none of these patients survived. While only three patients were initially in a shockable rhythm, DC shocks were administered in 20 cases. There was one case of failed ventilation prompting front-of-neck access for oxygenation. By comparison with all-cause OHCA the proportion of patients with a spontaneous circulation at hospital handover was similar (27.0% vs 27.5%; 0.5% difference, 95% CI −5.9% to 6.8%, p=0.882) but survival to hospital discharge was significantly lower (2.2% vs 8.4%; 6.2% difference, 95% CI 4.1% to 8.3%, p=0.002).ConclusionClinical outcomes following OHCA due to hanging are poor, particularly when patients are transported while in cardiac arrest. Failure to ventilate was uncommon, and clinicians should be alert to the possibility of shockable rhythms developing during resuscitation.


2016 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 689-693 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shih-Wen Hung ◽  
Chien-Ming Chu ◽  
Chih-Feng Su ◽  
Li-Ming Tseng ◽  
Tzong-Luen Wang

As evidence regarding the impact of preceding medications on resuscitation outcomes has been inconsistent, this study aimed to analyze the association between preceding medications and resuscitation outcomes in patients experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). This retrospective study included patients with OHCA presenting to a tertiary care hospital by emergency medical service (EMS) between January 2006 and June 2011. Using the Utstein template, data were collected from EMS and hospital medical records for prehospital care, in-hospital care, and medications which were taken continuously for at least 2 weeks preceding OHCA. Primary outcome was the proportion of patients with a survived event. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the predictors of survived events. Among the 1381 included patients with OHCA, 552 (40.0%) patients achieved sustained return of spontaneous circulation and 463 (33.5%) patients survived after resuscitation, 96 (7.0%) patients survived until discharge, and 20 (1.4%) patients had a favorable neurological outcome at discharge. The multivariable analyses revealed that use of statins preceding OHCA was independently associated with a greater probability of a survived events (OR=2.09, 95% CI 1.08 to 4.03, p=0.028).Use of digoxin was adversely associated with survived events (OR=0.39, 95% CI 0.16 to 0.90, p=0.028) in patients with OHCA. The continuous use of statins preceding OHCA was positively associated with survived events, while use of digoxin was adversely related. It deserves more attention on medications preceding OHCA because of their potential effect on resuscitation outcomes.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Woodrow Sams ◽  
Stephen Dowker ◽  
Brad Trumpower ◽  
Michael O'Leary ◽  
Neil Kamdar ◽  
...  

Introduction: Dispatch processes for prehospital management of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) vary greatly by region, and so do the barriers and facilitators of rapid time-to-first-treatment within those systems. In order to optimize local OHCA response, we sought to identify improvement targets by tracking time intervals during OHCA 911 calls and evaluating associated barriers and facilitators to timely OHCA prehospital care delivery. Methods: We developed a data abstraction tool to collect quantitative and qualitative data regarding key events in a random sample of 23 of emergency medical services (EMS)-confirmed, second-party, non-traumatic, non-overdose, non-facility adult OHCAs occurring prior to first responder arrival from November 2017 to November 2019 in Washtenaw County, Michigan. Trained abstractors double reviewed calls. We calculated descriptive statistics of key event times to summarize a timeline of care and evaluated qualitative data using thematic analysis to assess event intervals. Results: Based on quantitative and qualitative analyses, we created a timeline with summary data of dispatcher OHCA response based on an aggregate of 23 calls to 911 dispatch (see Figure 1). Data abstractors identified two intervals-of-interest as containing barriers to optimizing time-to-first treatment: 1) time between the first report of abnormal breathing and call taker statement of CPR need (Interval 1), and 2) time from patient positioning to the first compression instruction (Interval 2). Qualitative data suggested that these interval delays were a result of extensive efforts on the part of the call taker to reconfirm breathing status in particular. Additional barriers, such as the callers misunderstanding instruction, and on-scene physical limitations, were also identified. Conclusions: We identified two primary time intervals to target for improvement as well as barriers present in our local 911 system. These data may serve as a foundation to develop targeted interventions to optimize local systems of care for 911 dispatch workflows. Figure 1


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Freire Jorge ◽  
Rohan Boer ◽  
Rene A. Posma ◽  
Katharina C. Harms ◽  
Bart Hiemstra ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective Lactate has been shown to be preferentially metabolized in comparison to glucose after physiological stress, such as strenuous exercise. Derangements of lactate and glucose are common after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Therefore, we hypothesized that lactate decreases faster than glucose after return-to-spontaneous-circulation (ROSC) after OHCA. Results We included 155 OHCA patients in our analysis. Within the first 8 h of presentation to the emergency department, 843 lactates and 1019 glucoses were available, respectively. Lactate decreased to 50% of its initial value within 1.5 h (95% CI [0.2–3.6 h]), while glucose halved within 5.6 h (95% CI [5.4–5.7 h]). Also, in the first 8 h after presentation lactate decreases more than glucose in relation to their initial values (lactate 72.6% vs glucose 52.1%). In patients with marked hyperlactatemia after OHCA, lactate decreased expediently while glucose recovered more slowly, whereas arterial pH recovered at a similar rapid rate as lactate. Hospital non-survivors (N = 82) had a slower recovery of lactate (P = 0.002) than survivors (N = 82). The preferential clearance of lactate underscores its role as a prime energy substrate, when available, during recovery from extreme stress.


Author(s):  
Yi-Rong Chen ◽  
Chi-Jiang Liao ◽  
Han-Chun Huang ◽  
Cheng-Han Tsai ◽  
Yao-Sing Su ◽  
...  

High-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a key element in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) resuscitation. Mechanical CPR devices have been developed to provide uninterrupted and high-quality CPR. Although human studies have shown controversial results in favor of mechanical CPR devices, their application in pre-hospital settings continues to increase. There remains scant data on the pre-hospital use of mechanical CPR devices in Asia. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective cohort study between September 2018 and August 2020 in an urban city of Taiwan to analyze the effects of mechanical CPR devices on the outcomes of OHCA; the primary outcome was attainment of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Of 552 patients with OHCA, 279 received mechanical CPR and 273 received manual CPR, before being transferred to the hospital. After multivariate adjustment for the influencing factors, mechanical CPR was independently associated with achievement of any ROSC (OR = 1.871; 95%CI:1.195–2.930) and sustained (≥24 h) ROSC (OR = 2.353; 95%CI:1.427–3.879). Subgroup analyses demonstrated that mechanical CPR is beneficial in shorter emergency medical service response time (≤4 min), witnessed cardiac arrest, and non-shockable cardiac rhythm. These findings support the importance of early EMS activation and high-quality CPR in OHCA resuscitation.


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