scholarly journals How senior paramedics decide to cease resuscitation in pulseless electrical activity out of hospital cardiac arrest: a mixed methods study

2021 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ali Coppola ◽  
Sarah Black ◽  
Ruth Endacott
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Pulseless Electrical Activity ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Ambulance Service ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Clinical Judgement ◽  
Framework Analysis ◽  
Senior Clinician ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background Evidenced-based guidelines on when to cease resuscitation for pulseless electrical activity are limited and support for paramedics typically defaults to the senior clinician. Senior clinicians include paramedics employed to work beyond the scope of clinical guidelines as there may be a point at which it is reasonable to cease resuscitation. To support these decisions, one ambulance service has applied a locally derived cessation of resuscitation checklist. This study aimed to describe the patient, clinical and system factors and examine senior clinician experiences when ceasing resuscitation for pulseless electrical activity. Design and methods An explanatory sequential mixed method study was conducted in one ambulance service in the South West of England. A consecutive sample of checklist data for adult pulseless electrical activity were retrieved from 1st December 2015 to 31st December 2018. Unexpected results which required exploration were identified and developed into semi-structured interview questions. A purposive sample of senior clinicians who ceased resuscitation and applied the checklist were interviewed. Content framework analysis was applied to the qualitative findings. Results Senior clinicians ceased resuscitation for 50 patients in the presence of factors known to optimise survival: Witnessed cardiac arrest (n = 37, 74%), bystander resuscitation (n = 30, 60%), defibrillation (n = 22, 44%), return of spontaneous circulation (n = 8, 16%). Significant association was found between witnessed cardiac arrest and bystander resuscitation (p = .00). Six senior clinicians were interviewed, and analysis resulted in four themes: defining resuscitation futility, the impact of ceasing resuscitation, conflicting views and clinical decision tools. In the local context, senior clinicians applied their clinical judgement to balance survivability. Multiple factors were considered as the decision to cease resuscitation was not always clear. Senior clinicians deviated from the checklist when the patient was perceived as non-survivable. Conclusion Senior clinicians applied clinical judgement to assess patients as non-survivable or when continued resuscitation was considered harmful with no patient benefit. Senior clinicians perceived pre-existing factors with duration of resuscitation and clinical factors known to optimise patient survival. Future practice could look beyond a set criteria in which to cease resuscitation, however, it would be helpful to investigate the value or threshold of factors associated with patient outcome.

PP10  How senior paramedics determine a futile resuscitation in pulseless electrical activity out of hospital cardiac arrest: a mixed methods study

2020 ◽  
Vol 37 (10) ◽  
pp. e6.1-e6
Author(s):  
Ali Coppola ◽  
Sarah Black ◽  
Ruth Endacott
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Pulseless Electrical Activity ◽  
Ambulance Service ◽  
Clinical Factors ◽  
Patient Demographics ◽  
System Factors ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hospital Cardiac Arrest

BackgroundPulseless electrical activity, a non-shockable cardiac arrest, is treated using advanced life support resuscitation. When resuscitation fails, evidenced-based guidelines are limited on when to stop resuscitation. This led to one UK Ambulance Service developing a local guideline for senior paramedics to cease resuscitation when considered futile. The aim of this study was to examine clinical, patient and system factors of a futile resuscitation for pulseless electrical activity and how senior paramedics apply these factors to the decision-making process.Design and MethodsAn explanatory sequential mixed method design conducted in a single UK Ambulance Service. Cessation of resuscitation data was retrieved for all adult patients suffering an Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest from 1st December 2015 to 31st December 2018. Cases subject to a coronial or police investigation were excluded. Senior paramedics made decisions to cease resuscitation for 50 patients at the scene and these were reviewed in detail. Interviews were conducted with six senior paramedics, who provide telephone clinical support to on-scene paramedics.ResultsThe mean patient age was 78 years, the majority were male (n=30, 60%) had a witnessed collapse (n=37, 74%) and had a PEA rate below 50 (n=46, 92%). There were no significant associations between patient demographics and clinical or system factors. Themes arising from paramedic interviews included concepts that defined futility, the impact of decision-making, conflicting views and supportive clinical decision tools.ConclusionWhilst there were no significant associations between variables, senior paramedics balanced patient survival with resuscitation futility by interpreting key factors, such as patient demographics and clinical factors. This multifactorial approach questions termination of resuscitation based on clinical factors alone. It identifies a group of PEA patients, when resuscitation is not successful, may be considered for termination of resuscitation. Research using a larger sample is warranted to explore the validity of these criteria.AcknowledgementsThe authors would like to thank Professor Jonathan Benger for his valuable input and guidance as the educational supervisor for this study. J. Lynde and H. Trebilcock for quantitative data extraction. L. Tremayne and E. Freeman, qualitative data coding. Thank you to all the paramedics who participated.

scholarly journals UK ambulance service resuscitation management of pulseless electrical activity: a systematic review protocol of text and opinion

2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-25
Author(s):  
Alison Coppola ◽  
Sarah Black ◽  
Sasha Johnston ◽  
Ruth Endacott
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Guideline Implementation ◽  
Pulseless Electrical Activity ◽  
Ambulance Service ◽  
Synthesis Process ◽  
Reference List ◽  
Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients with pulseless electrical activity are treated by paramedics using basic and advanced life support resuscitation. When resuscitation fails to achieve return of spontaneous circulation, there are limited evidence and national guidelines on when to continue or stop resuscitation. This has led to ambulance services in the United Kingdom developing local guidelines to support paramedics in the resuscitative management of pulseless electrical activity. The content of each guideline is unknown, as is any association between guideline implementation and patient survival. We aim to identify and synthesise local ambulance service guidelines to help improve the consistency of paramedic-led decision-making for the resuscitation of pulseless electrical activity in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.Methods: A systematic review of text and opinion will be conducted on ambulance service guidelines for resuscitating adult cardiac arrest patients with pulseless electrical activity. Data will be gathered direct from the ambulance service website. The review will be guided by the methods of the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). The search strategy will be conducted in three stages: 1) a website search of the 14 ambulance services; 2) a search of the evidence listed in support of the guideline; and 3) an examination of the reference list of documents found in the first and second stages and reported using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses. Each document will be assessed against the inclusion criteria, and quality of evidence will be assessed using the JBI Critical Appraisal Checklist for Text and Opinion. Data will be extracted using the JBI methods of textual data extraction and a three-stage data synthesis process: 1) extraction of opinion statements; 2) categorisation of statements according to similarity of meaning; and 3) meta-synthesis of statements to create a new collection of findings. Confidence of findings will be assessed using the graded ConQual approach.

Abstract 232: Delayed Administration of Epinephrine is Associated with Worse Neurological Outcomes in Patients with Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest and Initial Pulseless Electrical Activity

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nobuyuki Enzan ◽  
Ken-ichi Hiasa ◽  
Kenzo Ichimura ◽  
Masaaki Nishihara ◽  
Takeshi Iyonaga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Odds Ratio ◽  
Primary Outcome ◽  
Pulseless Electrical Activity ◽  
Cubic Spline ◽  
Epinephrine Administration ◽  
Neurological Outcomes ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Background: Delayed administration of epinephrine has been proven to worsen the neurological outcomes of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and initial shockable rhythm. We aimed to investigate whether delayed administration of epinephrine might also worsen the neurological outcomes of patients with witnessed OHCA and initial pulseless electrical activity (PEA). Methods: The Japanese Association for Acute Medicine - out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (JAAM-OHCA) Registry is a multicenter, prospective, observational registry including 34,754 OHCA patients between 2014 and 2017. The present study assessed the impact of the time to epinephrine administration on neurological outcomes in patients with witnessed non-traumatic OHCA with initial rhythm of PEA. The primary outcome was defined as Cerebral Performance Categories (CPC) Scale 1-2 at 30 days after OHCA. The association between the odds ratio for the primary outcome and the time from witnessed OHCA to epinephrine administration was assessed with a restricted cubic spline analysis. Results: Out of 34,754 patients with OHCA, 3,050 patients with OHCA and initial PEA who received epinephrine were included in the present study. Mean age was 73.7 years and 1836 (60.2%) was male. After adjusting for potential confounders, the time from witnessed OHCA to epinephrine administration was associated with lower likelihood of favorable neurological outcomes (odds ratio [OR] 0.92; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.89-0.96; P<0.001). The restricted cubic spline analysis demonstrated that delayed epinephrine administration could decrease the likelihood of a favorable neurological outcome; this was significant within the first 10 minutes. Conclusions: Delayed administration of epinephrine was associated with worse neurological outcomes in patients with witnessed OHCA patients with initial PEA.

Abstract 052: Improved Hospital Outcomes With Hypokalemia on Admission in Cardiac Arrest Survivors Treated With Therapeutic Hypothermia

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo de la Rosa ◽  
Manuel Tapia ◽  
Yong Ji ◽  
Basil Saour ◽  
Mikhail Torosoff
Keyword(s):  
Logistic Regression ◽  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Ventricular Fibrillation ◽  
Hospital Mortality ◽  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Therapeutic Hypothermia ◽  
Multivariate Logistic Regression Analysis ◽  
Pulseless Electrical Activity ◽  
Older Age ◽  
Chi Square

Purpose: We hypothesized that advanced circulatory compromise, as manifested by acidosis and hyperkalemia should be associated with worsened clinical outcomes in cardiac arrest patients treated with therapeutic hypothermia. Methods: Results of initial admission laboratory studies, medical history, and echocardiogram in 203 consecutive cardiac arrest patients (59 females, 59+/- 15 years old) undergoing therapeutic hypothermia were reviewed. Mortality was ascertained through hospital records. ANOVA, chi-square, Kaplan-Meier, and logistic regression analyses were used. The study was approved by the institutional IRB. Results: Increased mortality was noted with older age, decreased admission pH, elevated admission lactate, lower admission hemoglobin, and pulseless electrical activity or asystole as presenting rhythms (Table). Admission hypokalemia and ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia were associated with improved hospital mortality (Table). Potassium was significantly lower in patients admitted with ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia (3.897+/-0.92) as compared to patients with asystole (4.674+/-1.377) or pulseless electrical activity (4.491+/-1.055 mEq/dL, p<0.0001). In multivariate logistic regression analysis, independent predictors of increased hospital mortality included increased admission potassium (OR 2.0, 95%CI 1.291-3.170, p=0.002)), older age (OR 1.04, 95%CI 1.007-1.071, p=0.017), admission PEA (OR 3.7, 95%CI 1.358-10.282, p=0.011 when compared to ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia) or asystole (OR 17.2, 95%CI 4.423-66.810, p<0.001 when compared to ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia); while decreased mortality was associated with higher hemoglobin (OR 0.8, 95%CI 0.665-0.997, p=0.047). Conclusions: Hyperkalemia, pulseless electrical activity, and asystole are predictive of increased hospital mortality in survivors of cardiac arrest. An association between low or low-normal potassium, observed VT-VF, and better outcomes is unexpected and may be used for prognostic purposes. More prospective investigations of mortality predictors in these critically ill patients are needed.

Abstract 150: Impact of Epinephrine on ECG Changes During Resuscitation From Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest With Initial Pulseless Electrical Activity

Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 138 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunnar W Skjeflo ◽  
Eirik Skogvoll ◽  
Jan Pål Loennechen ◽  
Theresa M Olasveengen ◽  
Lars Wik ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Multivariate Regression ◽  
Life Support ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Pulseless Electrical Activity ◽  
Qrs Complex ◽  
Epinephrine Administration ◽  
Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Introduction: Presence of electrocardiographic rhythm, documented by the electrocardiogram (ECG), in the absence of palpable pulses defines pulseless electrical activity (PEA). Our aims were to examine the development of ECG characteristics during advanced life support (ALS) from Out-of-Hospital-Cardiac-Arrest (OHCA) with initial PEA, and to explore the effects of epinephrine on these characteristics. Methods: Patients with OHCA and initial PEA in a randomized controlled trial of ALS with or without intravenous access and medications were included. QRS widths and heart-rates were measured in recorded ECG signals during pauses in compressions. Statistical analysis was carried out by multivariate regression (MANOVA). Results: Defibrillator recordings from 170 episodes of cardiac arrest were analyzed, 4840 combined measurements of QRS complex width and heart rate were made. By the multivariate regression model both whether epinephrine was administered and whether return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was obtained were significantly associated with changes in QRS width and heart rate. For both control and epinephrine groups, ROSC was preceded by decreasing QRS width and increasing rate, but in the epinephrine group an increase in rate without a decrease in QRS width was associated with poor outcome (fig). Conclusion: The QRS complex characteristics are affected by epinephrine administration during ALS, but still yields valuable prognostic information.

PP20 UK Ambulance Service resuscitation management of pulseless electrical activity: a systematic review of text and opinion

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (9) ◽  
pp. A9.2-A9
Author(s):  
Ali Coppola ◽  
Michael A Smyth ◽  
Sasha Johnston ◽  
Sarah Black ◽  
Ruth Endacott
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Early Identification ◽  
Discharge Rate ◽  
Treatment Options ◽  
Pulseless Electrical Activity ◽  
Ambulance Service ◽  
National Guidelines ◽  
Improve Patient Survival ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Improve Patient

BackgroundIn the United Kingdom, out of hospital cardiac arrest patients with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) have a poor survival to discharge rate of 5.3%.1 PEA is managed according to national guidelines.2 These guidelines are imperfect due to limited research resulting in ambulance services locally amending guidelines to support resuscitation decisions.3 This review aimed to examine the local guidelines of UK ambulance services for the management of PEA.MethodsA three-step search strategy was applied from August 2020 to October 2020. 1) A search of UK ambulance service websites was conducted to identify published local guidelines. Where guidelines were not available a written request was made for the guideline, associated guideline or a narrative summary in the absence of a guideline. 2) Documents referenced within the local guidelines specific to pulseless electrical activity were identified and extracted as supporting literature. 3) Documents referenced in the supporting literature identified as having pulseless electrical activity in the title were extracted.ResultsTwenty-two documents of textual data met the inclusion criteria. Twenty-nine conclusions were extracted and analysed to generate ten categories, forming three synthesised themes relating to the variability in the clinical management of PEA between UK ambulance services, the early identification of reversible causes and appropriate treatment options to increase survivability and the consensus for further research.ConclusionComprehensive national guidelines are lacking due to limited research. The local clinical guidelines and practices of UK ambulance services which aim to address the gaps in research, introduce variability in the management of pulseless electrical activity. Early identification and treatment to reverse the cause of pulseless electrical activity was highlighted to improve patient survival, however, this was complex and challenging to achieve during pre-hospital resuscitation. There was a consensus in the paucity of evidence and the potential for future prognostic research to improve patient outcomes.

Abstract 370: Electrical Features Of Pulseless Electrical Activity Associated With Cardiac Arrest Outcomes

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Steve Balian ◽  
David Alanis Garza ◽  
Mikel Leturiondo ◽  
Joshua R Lupton ◽  
James K Russell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Electrical Activity ◽  
Frequency Spectrum ◽  
Prediction Models ◽  
Pulseless Electrical Activity ◽  
Median Frequency ◽  
Signal Power ◽  
Ecg Signals ◽  
Regression Methods ◽  
Band Pass

Introduction: The cardiac arrest rhythm of pulseless electrical activity (PEA) poses various diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. PEA may represent a spectrum of arrest conditions with variable responses to resuscitation care. Aim: We analyzed PEA rhythms to identify diagnostic patterns associated with survival in cardiac arrest. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, we utilized the Portland Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium database of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests compiled by the Tualatin Valley Fire and Rescue from 2006-2016. Recordings from defibrillation pads included compression waveforms, electrocardiogram, and transthoracic impedance signals. For each patient, we analyzed the first two pauses in chest compressions, characterized by flat compression and impedance signals. Features extracted from raw ECG signals included contraction frequency and variability. Signal Fourier transformation and 0-100 Hz band pass filtering yielded signals’ distribution across a frequency spectrum from which signal power was extracted. Extraction of the three most prominent frequencies was performed from the Gaussian filtered frequency spectrum. Non-parametric tests (Mann-Whitney, Fisher) and logistic regression methods were used for analysis. Results: Fifty-nine ECG recordings were analyzed corresponding to 7 (11.9%) survivors and 52 (88.1%) non-survivors. Median age was 72 (IQR 20), and 28.8% (17/59) were female. No significant differences were noted in sex or median age between survivors and non-survivors. Analysis of the first ECG pause showed a higher first peak median frequency among survivors (2.15 vs 0.06 Hz, p=0.049). We did not find a significant association between the second peak median frequency of the first ECG segment (6.46 vs 1.49 Hz, p=0.882) or the signal power of the second ECG segment (108.04 vs 100.77 Hz, p=0.647) with survival. Regression analysis did not provide reliable outcome prediction models for survival in this preliminary cohort. Conclusion: Computerized analysis of PEA ECG waveforms offers alternate approaches to bedside signal interpretation that may correlate with survival. Our preliminary work offers a potential approach to PEA analysis that will require application to a larger PEA arrest cohort.

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