Statements in which the resource exists as a subject.
PredicateObject
rdf:type
lifeskim:mentions
pubmed:issue
1
pubmed:dateCreated
1994-6-21
pubmed:abstractText
Out-of-hospital defibrillation has been shown to improve survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. The maximum performance of defibrillation-based systems is dependent on the proportion of cardiac arrests due to tachyarrhythmias. We reviewed 4248 reported arrests in the Heartstart Scotland database. We identified 3489 arrests due to cardiac or unknown cause. From this group we selected 258 cases known to be conscious on arrival of the crew. We were able to retrieve electrocardiographic data on the period within 2 min of the arrest in 106 cases. The first recorded rhythm at the arrest was ventricular fibrillation in 64%, ventricular tachycardia 4%, bradycardia in 28% and electromechanical dissociation in 4%. Defibrillatory shocks were delivered to 96% of patients in ventricular fibrillation and 60% of these patients survived. None of the patients with bradycardic arrests survived. Preceding chest pain was noted in 79% of patients subsequently developing ventricular fibrillation as the cause of arrest compared to only 37% of those suffering bradycardic arrests. It would appear that public awareness of the importance of early contact with the emergency services after the onset of chest pain could substantially improve the survival from out-of-hospital arrests.
pubmed:language
eng
pubmed:journal
pubmed:citationSubset
IM
pubmed:status
MEDLINE
pubmed:month
Jan
pubmed:issn
0300-9572
pubmed:author
pubmed:issnType
Print
pubmed:volume
27
pubmed:owner
NLM
pubmed:authorsComplete
Y
pubmed:pagination
55-9
pubmed:dateRevised
2009-8-25
pubmed:meshHeading
pubmed:year
1994
pubmed:articleTitle
The causative rhythm in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests witnessed by the emergency medical services in the Heartstart Scotland Project.
pubmed:affiliation
Department of Medical Cardiology, Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK.
pubmed:publicationType
Journal Article