scholarly journals Exploring the volunteer first aider’s experience post-resuscitation

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Ranse ◽  
Brandon Burke
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Focus Group ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Critical Incident ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Arrest ◽  
First Aid ◽  
Critical Event ◽  
Successful Resuscitation

Introduction This study aims to identify themes associated with St John volunteer first aiders’ post-resuscitation experience following an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest, and to make suggestions for future practice in education and research. Methods This study was exploratory and descriptive in design, utilising a single focus group as a means of data collection. All five participants from a single resuscitation event participated in the focus group. The focus group was electronically recorded and transcribed verbatim. The results were then thematically analysed. Results The focus group participants described four themes associated with successful resuscitation of a casualty following sudden cardiac arrest. These themes were: postresuscitation casualty management; interactions with health care professionals; critical incident stress management and learning about the casualty’s outcome. Discussion Education of first aid service providers should include post-resuscitation casualty management, this could be achieved by including the chain of survival in its entirety rather than the DRABCD (danger, response, airway, breathing, circulation and defibrillation) resuscitation action plan only. Similarly, ambulance paramedics require an understanding of semi-automatic external defibrillators as used by first aid service providers. In particular, the limitations of semi-automatic external defibrillators should be included in education programs for ambulance paramedics and emergency department staff. Finally, first aid service providers should implement formal mechanisms to provide feedback to participants regarding casualty outcomes following a critical event.

scholarly journals The dependence of successful resuscitation on electrocardiographically documented cardiac rhythm in case of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Medicina ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 43 (10) ◽  
pp. 798 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nedas Jasinskas ◽  
Dinas Vaitkaitis ◽  
Vidas Pilvinis ◽  
Lina Jančaitytė ◽  
Gailutė Bernotienė ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Ventricular Fibrillation ◽  
Cardiac Rhythm ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Spontaneous Circulation ◽  
Consensus Conference ◽  
Successful Resuscitation ◽  
Initial Rhythm ◽  
Hospital Deaths ◽  
One Year

Objective. To determine the influence of electrocardiographically documented cardiac rhythm during sudden cardiac arrest on successful resuscitation among out-of-hospital deaths in Kaunas city. Material and methods. An observational prospective study was conducted between 1 January, 2005, and 30 December, 2005, in Kaunas city with a population of 360 627 inhabitants. In this period, all cases of cardiac arrest were analyzed according to the guidelines of the Utstein consensus conference. Cardiac arrest (both of cardiac and noncardiac etiology) was confirmed in 72 patients during one year. Effective cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed in 18 patients. Results. The total number of deaths from all causes in Kaunas during 1-year study period was 6691. Sixty-two patients due to sudden death of cardiac etiology were resuscitated by emergency medical services personnel. Return of spontaneous circulation was achieved in 11 patients. Ventricular fibrillation was observed in 33 (53.2%) patients. Asystole was present in 11 (17.7%) and other rhythms in 18 (29.1%) cases. Patients with ventricular fibrillation as an initial rhythm were more likely to be successfully resuscitated than patients with asystole. Conclusions. Ventricular fibrillation was the most common electrocardiographically documented cardiac rhythm registered during cardiac arrest in out-of-hospital settings. Ventricular fibrillation as a mechanism of cardiac arrest was associated with major cases of successful resuscitation.

scholarly journals The Role of Automated External Defibrillators in Athletics

2009 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-20 ◽  
Author(s):  
Justin D. Rothmier ◽  
Jonathan A. Drezner
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Public Access ◽  
Time Interval ◽  
Athletic Programs ◽  
Early Defibrillation ◽  
Automated External Defibrillators ◽  
External Defibrillator

Context: Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in young athletes. The purpose of this review is to summarize the role of automated external defibrillators and emergency planning for sudden cardiac arrest in the athletic setting. Evidence Acquisition: Relevant studies on automated external defibrillators, early defibrillation, and public-access defibrillation programs were reviewed. Recommendations from consensus guidelines and position statements applicable to automated external defibrillators in athletics were also considered. Results: Early defibrillation programs involving access to automated external defibrillators by targeted local responders have demonstrated a survival benefit for sudden cardiac arrest in many public and athletic settings. Conclusion: Schools and organizations sponsoring athletic programs should implement automated external defibrillators as part of a comprehensive emergency action plan for sudden cardiac arrest. In a collapsed and unresponsive athlete, sudden cardiac arrest should be suspected and an automated external defibrillator applied as soon as possible, as decreasing the time interval to defibrillation is the most important priority to improve survival in sudden cardiac arrest.

scholarly journals High School Automated External Defibrillator Programs as Markers of Emergency Preparedness for Sudden Cardiac Arrest

2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 242-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett G. Toresdahl ◽  
Kimberly G. Harmon ◽  
Jonathan A. Drezner
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
High Schools ◽  
Emergency Preparedness ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Emergency Planning ◽  
Automated External Defibrillator ◽  
School Based ◽  
External Defibrillator

Context: School-based automated external defibrillator (AED) programs have demonstrated a high survival rate for individuals suffering sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in US high schools. Objective: To examine the relationship between high schools having an AED on campus and other measures of emergency preparedness for SCA. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: United States high schools, December 2006 to September 2009. Patients or Other Participants: Principals, athletic directors, school nurses, and certified athletic trainers represented 3371 high schools. Main Outcome Measure(s): Comprehensive surveys on emergency planning for SCA submitted by high school representatives to the National Registry for AED Use in Sports from December 2006 to September 2009. Schools with and without AEDs were compared to assess other elements of emergency preparedness for SCA. Results: A total of 2784 schools (82.6%) reported having 1 or more AEDs on campus, with an average of 2.8 AEDs per school; 587 schools (17.4%) had no AEDs. Schools with an enrollment of more than 500 students were more likely to have an AED (relative risk [RR] = 1.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.08, 1.16, P < .01). Suburban schools were more likely to have an AED than were rural (RR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.11, P < .01), urban (RR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.16, P < .01), or inner-city schools (RR = 1.10, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.23, P < .01). Schools with 1 or more AEDs were more likely to ensure access to early defibrillation (RR = 3.45, 95% CI = 2.97, 3.99, P < .01), establish an emergency action plan for SCA (RR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.67, 2.00, P < .01), review the emergency action plan at least annually (RR = 1.99, 95% CI = 1.58, 2.50, P < .01), consult emergency medical services to develop the emergency action plan (RR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.05, 1.32, P < .01), and establish a communication system to activate emergency responders (RR = 1.06, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.08, P < .01). Conclusions: High schools with AED programs were more likely to establish a comprehensive emergency response plan for SCA. Implementing school-based AED programs is a key step associated with emergency planning for young athletes with SCA.

Sudden cardiac arrest after minor abdominal trauma: A successful resuscitation in a patient with haemorrhagic phaeochromocytoma

Resuscitation ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 80 (11) ◽  
pp. 1323-1324 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chun-Chieh Chiu ◽  
Ying-Cheng Chen ◽  
Tsung-Han Teng ◽  
Li-Heng Yang ◽  
Ya-Pei Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Abdominal Trauma ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Successful Resuscitation

Abstract 252: Resuscitation in Prehospital Stage: Effectiveness and Influencing Factors

Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita Abula ◽  
Aija Maca ◽  
Oskars Kalejs
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Influencing Factors ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Heart Rhythm ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Public Places ◽  
Successful Resuscitation ◽  
The Public ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Background: Sudden cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac death is one of the leading causes of death all over the world. Of particular importance is out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) - an important overworld public health issue. In order to help these people and improve their chances of survival, it is necessary to provide assistance as soon as possible. Bystanders are usually non-medical persons why it is more complicated to implement. The objectives of the study were to research effectiveness and influencing factors of resuscitation in prehospital stage and create suggestions and methodical recommendations as possible. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was developed, which summarizes and analyzes the electronic call cards (IEK) of the Emergency Medical service of Latvia (EMS) for 2018 and 2019. IEK were selected that identified “successful resuscitation” and “unsuccessful resuscitation” as a complication of diagnosis (classification developed and validated by EMS of Latvia). Results: Overall 2538 resuscitations were performed, of which 27,6% were successful resuscitation. About a quarter (24,2%) of all resuscitations happened in a public place. The increase in the number of successful resuscitations is observed for resuscitation events that happened in public places. In most of cardiac arrest cases, bystanders did not perform CPR (60,3%). Arrival time of EMS in 2018 was 7,52 - 8,44 minutes and in 2019 was 7,75 - 8,23 minutes. The research shows that approximately 23% of cases the first monitored rhythm by EMS were VF/pVT. There is a significant difference in the increase in successful resuscitations if EMS performed defibrillation during the call. Conclusions: The most important influencing factors in the outcome of resuscitation are the patient’s age, the location, the first aid provided by bystanders, the time until the arrival of EMS and the first observed heart rhythm in a patient with cardiac arrest. It is necessary to create a register of AED (automated external defibrillator) devices in Latvia and their locations, to ensure the availability of data to the EMS service and the public.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation: the science behind the hands

Heart ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 104 (13) ◽  
pp. 1056-1061 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew W Harris ◽  
Peter J Kudenchuk
Keyword(s):  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation ◽  
Sudden Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Heart Association ◽  
Scientific Basis ◽  
Chest Compressions ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Physiological Basis ◽  
Successful Resuscitation ◽  
External Chest Compressions

Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death worldwide. Despite significant advances in resuscitation science since the initial use of external chest compressions in humans nearly 60 years ago, there continues to be wide variability in rates of successful resuscitation across communities. The American Heart Association (AHA) and European Resuscitation Council emphasise the importance of high-quality chest compressions as the foundation of resuscitation care. We review the physiological basis for the association between chest compression quality and clinical outcomes and the scientific basis for the AHA’s key metrics for high-quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Finally, we highlight that implementation of strategies that promote effective chest compressions can improve outcomes in all patients with cardiac arrest.

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