Identification of Predictors for Survival in Out-of-Hospital, Cardiac Arrest—Analysis of Prehospital Resuscitations in the Rescue Service of Dachau over Three Consecutive Years (original) (raw)

Objective: This study describes the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of patients with a cardiac arrest diagnosis attended by out-of-hospital emergency teams and later discharged from the hospital in Almeria (Andalusia, Spain), over a one-year period, as well as a one-month follow-up regarding quality of life. Methods: All consecutive cases of cardiac arrest from 01 January-31 December 2003, in which emergency medical services (EMS) responded and attempted resuscitation, were reported and followed until discharged from the hospital, and later were followed-up after one month to check the quality of life of these patients. Results: The out-of-hospital emergency teams attended to 96 patients with cardiac arrest. Of these, 23 patients (24%) were admitted to the hospital alive and 73 (76%) died in an out-of-hospital setting. Nine patients (9.3%) were discharged from the hospital: eight males (89%) and one female (11%). The average age of the patients was 61 years old. The initial rhythms included five with electromechanical dissociation (56%), two with asystole (22%), and two with ventricular fibrillation (22%). The out-of-hospital crew witnessed four of the cardiac arrests. Advanced life support (ALS) was performed in one case (11%). The average of the time interval between cardiac arrest and the initiation of ALS was 3 minutes, 30 seconds. Six patients (67%) had cardiac etiology. Three patients (33%) had noncardiac etiology. In the one-month follow-up, all nine patients still were alive (100%). Eight patients (89%) reported good quality of life, and one patient (11%) had bad quality of life (coma). Conclusion: Survival rates reported were similar to other studies, although the number of patients is limited. These survival rates can be explained in part by the short time intervals between calls being received by the emergency dispatch center to the arrival of EMS on the scene. Cardiac etiology was predominant. Half of cardiac arrests were crew witnessed. For survivors, the quality of life was good.