scholarly journals Strategies to improve out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes in the pre-hospital environment – Part A: pharmaceutical strategies

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Elizabeth Pemberton ◽  
Richard Franklin ◽  
Kerrianne Watt

IntroductionHistorically, survival rates from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have been low. In recent times, survival rates have increased substantially in some small population pockets, which sparked general interest in this field and the volume of research increased. Included was an increase in the number of strategies being investigated to improve outcomes. The aim of this review is to assemble these strategies and consolidate the findings of the pharmaceutical strategies.MethodsThis is a systematic search and review, rather than a systematic review. Four databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Informit, Scopus) were searched for papers published between 2007 and 2017 containing strategies that may be used by paramedics when resuscitating adult (18+ years) patients in cardiac arrest from presumed cardiac aetiology in the out-of-hospital environment. The search was undertaken in February 2017. Five separate search concepts were used on all databases. Each concept consisted of multiple search terms.ResultsThis review identified 28 separate studies for final review, which formulated six strategies. These were: use of a modified resuscitation protocol; use of a mechanical chest compression device; intra-thoracic pressure regulation; vasopressin administration; thrombolysis administration; application of therapeutic hypothermia. This paper reports on the full results of the pharmaceutical strategies (vasopressin or thrombolysis administration). Part B will address the non-pharmaceutical strategies.ConclusionThere is no evidence to support the introduction of vasopressin or thrombolysis use during OHCA. Future studies should focus on study design and specific patient subsets.

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katherine Elizabeth Pemberton ◽  
Richard C Franklin ◽  
Kerrianne Watt

IntroductionOut-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) historically has low survival rates. Higher rates of survival have recently developed in some small geographical areas, which pre-empted an increase in the volume of research in this field. The aim of this paper is to consolidate the findings of the strategies that do not focus on drugs.MethodsThis is a systematic search and review, rather than a systematic review. A search of four databases (MEDLINE, CINAHL, Informit, Scopus) was undertaken in February 2017. Papers published between 2007 and 2017 containing strategies that may be used by paramedics when resuscitating adult patients in OHCA from presumed cardiac aetiology were identified.ResultsTwenty-eight studies were included in the review, comprising six separate strategies. This manuscript reports on the four non-pharmaceutical strategies (use of a modified resuscitation protocol; use of a mechanical chest compression device; intra-thoracic pressure regulation and application of therapeutic hypothermia).ConclusionUse of a modified resuscitation protocol to improve the quality of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, was the only strategy showing evidence to warrant a recommendation for immediate implementation. Future studies should focus on strategy specific patient subsets.


Author(s):  
Charles R Siegel ◽  
Anjan Chakrabarti ◽  
Lewis Siegel ◽  
Forrest Winslow ◽  
Thomas Hall

Introduction: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a highly morbid public health problem. Despite improving practices and clear guidelines, mortality from this condition remains high at 90%, with survivors often suffering from poor neurologic outcomes. To determine the feasibility of quality improvement collaboratives to narrow gaps between evidence-based practice and patient care for OHCA, we conducted a pilot study of the AHA Resuscitation Collaborative. Methods: Eight emergency medical service agencies participated in the quality improvement collaborative pilot project. We identified several OHCA performance measures to assess the quality of care, guide collaborative activities, and monitor change in performance over time. Over the course of four learning sessions, participants were trained in quality improvement and performance measurement, analyzed performance measure results, and shared successes and challenges. Results: Five remaining agencies underwent the process outlined in Figure 1. Adherence to performance measures, including compression rate compliance (Figure 2), improved over the course of the collaborative. Compression rate compliance in Figure 2 corresponds to the process improvement efforts of the Chesapeake Fire Department with achievement of goals for optimal range of chest compression rate between 100 and 120 compressions per minute during resuscitations. Conclusion: As demonstrated in Virginia, the collaborative approach was an effective framework to improve OHCA care. Improvement in performance measures, the evident commitment of dedicated peers and colleagues, consistent collaboration, and the effective diffusion of best practices all support the continued use of this model.


Circulation ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 116 (suppl_16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynn J White ◽  
Sarah A Cantrell ◽  
Robert Cronin ◽  
Shawn Koser ◽  
David Keseg ◽  
...  

Introduction Long pauses without chest compressions (CC) have been identified in CPR provided by EMS professionals for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA). The 2005 AHA ECC CPR guidelines emphasize CC. The 2005 AHA Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Professionals (HCP) course introduced a training method with more CPR skills practice during the DVD based course. The purpose of this before/after study was to determine whether CC rates increased after introduction of the 2005 course. Methods This urban EMS system has 400 cardiac etiology OOHCA events annually. A convenience sample of 49 continuous electronic ECG recordings of VF patients was analyzed with the impedance channel of the LIFEPAK 12 (Physio-Control, Redmond WA) and proprietary software. A trained researcher verified the automated analysis. Each CC during the resuscitation attempt and pauses in CC before and after the first defibrillation shock were noted. The time of return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was determined by medical record review and onset of regular electrical activity without CC. Medical records were reviewed for outcome to hospital discharge. The EMS patient care protocol for VF was changed on July 1, 2006 to comply with the 2005 AHA ECC guidelines. Cases were grouped by the OOHCA date: 9/2004 to 12/31/2006 (pre) and 7/1/2006 to 4/21/2007 (post). EMS personnel began taking the 2005 BLS for HCP course during spring 2006. Monthly courses over 3 years will recertify 1500 personnel. Results 29 cases were analyzed from the pre group and 20 from the post group. Compressions per minute increased from a mean (±SD) of 47 ± 16 pre to 75 ± 33 post (P < 0.01). The mean count of shocks given per victim decreased from 4.5 ± 4.0 pre to 2.8 ± 1.8 post (P < 0.04). The CC pause before the first shock was unchanged (23.6 ± 18.4 seconds to 22.1 ± 17.9). but the CC pause following that shock decreased significantly from 48.7 ± 63.2 to 11.8 ± 22.5 (p=0.008). Rates of ROSC (55% pre, 50% post) and survival to discharge (15% pre, 13% post) were similar. Conclusion Following introduction of the 2005 BLS for HCP course and the EMS protocol change, the quality of CPR delivered to victims of OOHCA improved significantly compared with pre-2006 CPR. The sample size was too small to detect differences in survival rates.


Author(s):  
Kathie Thomas ◽  
Art Miller ◽  
Greg Poe

Background and Objectives: It is estimated that over 200,000 adults experience in-hospital cardiac arrest each year. Overall survival to discharge has remained relatively unchanged for decades and survival rates remain at about 20% (Elenbach et al., 2009). Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation (GWTG-R) is an in-hospital quality improvement program designed to improve adherence to evidence-based care of patients who experience an in-hospital resuscitation event. GWTG-R focuses on four achievement measures. The measures for adult patients include time to first chest compression of less than or equal to one minute, device confirmation of correct endotracheal tube placement, patients with pulseless VF/VT as the initial documented rhythm with a time to first shock of less than or equal to two minutes, and events in which patients were monitored or witnessed at the time of cardiac arrest. The objective of this abstract is to examine the association between hospital adherence to GWTG-R and in-hospital cardiac arrest survival rates. Methods: A retrospective review of adult in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA) patients (n=1849) from 21 Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana hospitals using the GWTG-R database was conducted from January 2014 through December 2014. This study included adult CPA patients that did and did not survive to discharge. Results: The review found that hospitals that had attained 84.6% or higher thresholds in all four achievement measures for at least one year, which is award recognition status, had a significantly improved in-hospital CPA survival to discharge rate of 29.6%. Hospitals that did not obtain award status had a CPA survival to discharge rate of 24.3%. The national survival rate for in-hospital adult CPA survival to discharge is 20%. Hospitals that did not achieve award recognition status still demonstrated improvement in survival rate when compared to the national survival rate, indicating the importance of a quality improvement program such as GWTG-R. No significant difference was found between in-hospital adult CPA survival rate and race between GWTG-R award winning and non-award winning hospitals. Hospitals that earned award recognition from GWTG-R had a survival to discharge rate of 30.2% for African Americans and 29.6% for whites. Hospitals that were did not earn award recognition from GWTG-R had a survival to discharge rate of 20.0% for African Americans and 20.1% for whites. Conclusions: Survival of in-hospital adult CPA patients improved significantly when GWTG-R measures are adhered to. Survival of in-hospital adult CPA patients also improves with implementation of GWTG-R. It is crucial that hospitals collect and analyze data regarding resuscitation processes and outcomes. Quality improvement measures can then be implemented in order to assist with improving in-hospital CPA survival rates.


Circulation ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 138 (Suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Purav Mody ◽  
Ambarish Pandey ◽  
Rohan Khera ◽  
Colby Ayers ◽  
Mark Link ◽  
...  

Background: Previous studies examining sex-based differences among out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients have been conflicting. Methods: Patients with OHCA enrolled in the Continuous Chest Compression trial between 2011 and 2016 were included in the present analysis. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regression models were constructed to evaluate the association between sex and sustained ROSC i.e. ROSC on ER arrival, discharge survival and survival with favorable neurological function after adjustment for age, witnessed status, presenting rhythm, public location, bystander CPR, resuscitation duration, and EMS response time. Results: Among 22,540 OHCA patients, 8,099 (35.9%) were women. Women were older (median 71 vs. 67 years), received less bystander CPR (45% vs. 47%), and had a lower proportion of cardiac arrests that were witnessed (39% vs. 45%) or had an initial shockable rhythm (15% vs. 28%, p<= 0.001 for all). There was no difference in sustained ROSC rates (24.7% vs. 24.8%, p=0.7) but discharge survival (6.5% vs. 10.3%, p<0.001) and survival with favorable neurological function (4.9 vs. 8.6%, p<0.001) were significantly lower in women (vs. men). In adjusted analysis, women (vs. men) had significantly higher likelihood of sustained ROSC ( Table ) but no difference in likelihood of discharge survival and survival with favorable neurological function. In the adjusted landmark analysis beginning after achieving ROSC, women had significantly lower likelihood of discharge survival and survival with favorable neurological function ( Table ) . Conclusions: Among resuscitated OHCA patients, women have a higher likelihood of achieving sustained ROSC despite a higher burden of poor prognostic factors. However, after successful ROSC, the likelihood of discharge survival is significantly lower in women (vs. men). Future studies are needed to understand how care provided post-ROSC may modify the sex-disparities in discharge survival outcomes.


Circulation ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 116 (suppl_16) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tom P Aufderheide ◽  
Marvin Birnbaum ◽  
Charles Lick ◽  
Brent Myers ◽  
Laurie Romig ◽  
...  

Introduction: Maximizing outcomes after cardiac arrest depends on optimizing a sequence of interventions from collapse to hospital discharge. The 2005 American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines recommended many new interventions during CPR (‘New CPR’) including use of an Impedance Threshold Device (ITD). Hypothesis: The combination of the ITD and ‘New CPR’ will increase return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) and hospital discharge (HD) rates in patients with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods: Quality assurance data were pooled from 7 emergency medical services (EMS) systems (Anoka Co., MN; Harris Co., TX; Madison, WI; Milwaukee, WI; Omaha, NE; Pinellas Co., FL; and Wake Co., NC) where the ITD (ResQPOD®, Advanced Circulatory Systems; Minneapolis, MN) was deployed for >3 months. Historical or concurrent control data were used for comparison. The EMS systems simultaneously implemented ‘New CPR’ including compression/ventilation strategies to provide more compressions/min and continuous compressions during Advanced Life Support. All sites stressed the importance of full chest wall recoil. The sites have a combined population of ~ 3.2 M. ROSC data were available from all sites; HD data were available as of June 2007 from 5 sites (MN, TX, Milwaukee, NE, NC). Results: A total of 893 patients treated with ‘New CPR’ + ITD were compared with 1424 control patients. The average age of both study populations was 64 years; 65% were male. Comparison of the ITD vs controls (all patients) for ROSC and HD [Odds ratios (OR), (95% confidence intervals), and Fisher’s Exact Test] were: 37.9% vs 33.8% [1.2, (1.02, 1.40), p=0.022] and 15.7% vs 7.9% [2.2, (1.53, 3.07), p<0.001], respectively. Patients with ventricular fibrillation had the best outcomes in both groups. Neurological outcome data are pending. Therapeutic hypothermia was used in some patients (MN, NC) after ROSC. Conclusion: Adoption of the ITD + ‘New CPR’ resulted in only a >10% increase in ROSC rates but a doubling of hospital discharge rates, from 7.9% to 15.7%, (p<0.001). These data represent a currently optimized sequence of therapeutic interventions during the performance of CPR for patients in cardiac arrest and support the widespread use of the 2005 AHA CPR Guidelines including use of the ITD.


Circulation ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 132 (suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael J Jacobs ◽  
Leo S Derevin ◽  
Sue Duval ◽  
James E Pointer ◽  
Karl A Sporer

Introduction: Survival rates with favorable neurologic function after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have remained low for decades. Hypothesis: Use of therapies focused on better perfusion during CPR using mechanical adjuncts and protective post-resuscitation care would improve survival and neurologic outcomes after OHCA compared to conventional CPR and care. Methods: OHCA outcomes in Alameda County, CA, USA, population 1.5 million, from December 2009-2011 when there was incomplete availability and use of impedance threshold device [ITD], mechanical CPR [MCPR], and hospital therapeutic hypothermia [HTH], were compared to 2012 when all were available and more widely used. Return of Spontaneous Circulation (ROSC), survival and Cerebral Performance Category (CPC) scores were compared using univariate and multivariable analyses. Results: Of the 3008 non-traumatic OHCAs who received CPR during the study period, >95% of survival outcome data were available. From 2009-11 to 2012, there was an increase in ROSC from 28.6% to 34.1% (p=0.002; OR=1.28; CI=1.09, 1.51) and a non-significant increase in hospital discharge from 10.5% to 12.3% (p=0.14; OR=1.17; CI=0.92, 1.49). There was, however, an 80% increase in survival with favorable neurological function between the two periods, as determined by CPC≤2, from 4.4% to 7.9% (p<0.001; unadjusted OR=1.85; CI=1.35, 2.54). After adjusting for witnessed arrest, bystander CPR, initial rhythm (VT/VF vs. others), placement of an advanced airway, EMS response time, and age, the adjusted OR was 1.60 (1.11, 2.31; p=0.012). Using a stepwise regression model, the most important independent positive predictors of CPC≤2 were 2012 (p=0.019), witnessed (p<0.001), initial rhythm VT/VF (p<0.001), and advanced airway (inverse association p<0.001). Additional analyses of the three therapies, separately and in combination, demonstrated that for all patients admitted to the hospital, ITD use with HTH had the most impact on survival to discharge with CPC≤2 of 24%. Conclusions: Therapies (ITD, MCPR, HTH) developed to enhance circulation during CPR and cerebral recovery after ROSC, significantly improved survival with favorable neurological function by 80% following OHCA.


BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. e030562
Author(s):  
Lars Saemann ◽  
Christine Schmucker ◽  
Lisa Rösner ◽  
Friedhelm Beyersdorf ◽  
Christoph Benk

IntroductionExtracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (eCPR) is increasingly applied in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) patients. Treatment results are promising, but the efficacy and safety of the procedure are still unclear. Currently, there are no recommended target perfusion parameters during eCPR, the lack of which could result in inadequate (re)perfusion. We aim to perform a scoping review to explore the current literature addressing target perfusion parameters, target values, corresponding survival rates and neurologic outcomes in OHCA and IHCA patients treated with eCPR.Methods and analysisTo identify relevant research, we will conduct searches in the electronic databases MEDLINE, EMBASE, Social Science Citation Index, Social Science Citation Index Expanded and the Cochrane library. We will also check references of relevant articles and perform a cited reference research (forward citation tracking).Two independent reviewers will screen titles and abstracts, check full texts for eligibility and perform data extraction. We will resolve dissent by consensus, moderated by a third reviewer. We will include observational and controlled studies addressing target perfusion parameters and outcomes such as survival rates and neurologic findings in OHCA and IHCA patients treated with eCPR. Data extraction tables will be set up, including study and patients’ characteristics, aim of study, details on eCPR including target perfusion parameters and reported outcomes. We will summarise the data using tables and figures (ie, bubble plot) to present the research landscape and to describe potential clusters and/or gaps.Ethics and disseminationAn ethical approval is not needed. We intend to publish the scoping review in a peer-reviewed journal and present results on a scientific meeting.


2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (47) ◽  
pp. 3824-3834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marieke T Blom ◽  
Iris Oving ◽  
Jocelyn Berdowski ◽  
Irene G M van Valkengoed ◽  
Abdenasser Bardai ◽  
...  

AbstractAimsPrevious studies on sex differences in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) had limited scope and yielded conflicting results. We aimed to provide a comprehensive overall view on sex differences in care utilization, and outcome of OHCA.Methods and resultsWe performed a population-based cohort-study, analysing all emergency medical service (EMS) treated resuscitation attempts in one province of the Netherlands (2006–2012). We calculated odds ratios (ORs) for the association of sex and chance of a resuscitation attempt by EMS, shockable initial rhythm (SIR), and in-hospital treatment using logistic regression analysis. Additionally, we provided an overview of sex differences in overall survival and survival at successive stages of care, in the entire study population and in patients with SIR. We identified 5717 EMS-treated OHCAs (28.0% female). Women with OHCA were less likely than men to receive a resuscitation attempt by a bystander (67.9% vs. 72.7%; P &lt; 0.001), even when OHCA was witnessed (69.2% vs. 73.9%; P &lt; 0.001). Women who were resuscitated had lower odds than men for overall survival to hospital discharge [OR 0.57; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48–0.67; 12.5% vs. 20.1%; P &lt; 0.001], survival from OHCA to hospital admission (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.78–0.99; 33.6% vs. 36.6%; P = 0.033), and survival from hospital admission to discharge (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.40–0.60; 33.1% vs. 51.7%). This was explained by a lower rate of SIR in women (33.7% vs. 52.7%; P &lt; 0.001). After adjustment for resuscitation parameters, female sex remained independently associated with lower SIR rate.ConclusionIn case of OHCA, women are less often resuscitated by bystanders than men. When resuscitation is attempted, women have lower survival rates at each successive stage of care. These sex gaps are likely explained by lower rate of SIR in women, which can only partly be explained by resuscitation characteristics.


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