[More effective resuscitation in a special ambulance. Increased survival after cardiac arrest in Gothenburg].
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Ambulances↗
Biomedical subjects
B Wennerblom
Publications and source records attributed to B Wennerblom.
Prognosis among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest judged as being caused by deterioration of obstructive pulmonary disease.
AIM: To describe the prognosis of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest judged to be caused by the deterioration of obstructive pulmonary disease. PATIENTS: All patients in the community of Göteborg Sweden who suffered out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between 1980 and 1992 attended by our emergency medical service and in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated. METHODS: The etiology of cardiac arrest was determined according to clinical history, observations at resuscitation and findings at autopsy. RESULTS: There were 3434 cardiac arrests of which 130 (4%) were judged to have been caused by deterioration of obstructive pulmonary disease. Of these patients 50% were found in asystole, 40% in pulseless electrical activity, and only 7% in ventricular fibrillation. Among patients with cardiac arrest caused by obstructive pulmonary disease 21 (16%) were hospitalized alive and six (5%) were discharged from hospital. Among patients who developed cardiac arrest after arrival of the ambulance, 16% were discharged from hospital versus 0% among patients who had arrest prior to arrival of the ambulance. CONCLUSION: Among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest caused by deterioration of obstructive pulmonary disease, half were found in asystole. Overall, the survival rate was low. This highlights the importance of effective treatment early in the course of deterioration of obstructive pulmonary disease in order to avoid cardiac arrest.
Adult↗
Type of arrhythmia at EMS arrival on scene in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in relation to interval from collapse and whether a bystander initiated CPR.
Outcome after cardiac arrest is strongly related to whether the patient has ventricular fibrillation at the time the emergency medical service (EMS) arrives on the scene. The occurrence of various arrhythmias at the time of EMS arrival among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was studied in relation to the interval from collapse and whether cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was initiated by a bystander. The patients studied were all those with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Goteborg, Sweden, between 1980 and 1992 in whom CPR was attempted by the arriving EMS and for whom the interval between collapse and the arrival of EMS was known. In all, information on the time of collapse and the arrival of EMS was available for 1,737 patients. Among patients for whom EMS arrived within 4 minutes of collapse, 53% were found in ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia. There was a successive decline in occurrence of such arrhythmias with time. However, when the interval exceeded 20 minutes, ventricular fibrillation/tachycardia was still observed in 27% of cases. Bystander CPR increased the occurrence of such arrhythmias regardless of the interval between collapse and EMS arrival.
Adolescent↗
[Coronary angioplasty in acute myocardial infarction. A superior alternative to thrombolytic therapy?].
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Aged↗
Hospital mortality after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest among patients found in ventricular fibrillation.
The aim of this study was to describe factors associated with in-hospital mortality among patients being hospitalised after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and who were found in ventricular fibrillation. The study was set in the community of Göteborg, Sweden. The subjects consisted of all patients who were hospitalised alive after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, being reached by our mobile coronary care unit and who were found in ventricular fibrillation, between 1981 and 1992. In all, 488 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria of which 262 (54%) died during initial hospitalization. In a multivariate analysis including age, sex, history of cardiovascular disease, chronic medication prior to arrest and circumstances at the time of arrest, the following appeared as independent predictors of hospital mortality: (1) interval between collapse and first defibrillation (P < 0.001); (2) on chronic medication with diuretics (P < 0.01); (3) age (P < 0.01); (4) bystander initiated CPR (P < 0.05); and (5) a history of diabetes (P < 0.05). In a multivariate analysis considering various aspects of status on admission to hospital, the following were independently associated with death: (1) degree of consciousness (P < 0.001) and (2) systolic blood pressure (P < 0.05). In conclusion, among patients with out of hospital cardiac arrest found in ventricular fibrillation and being hospitalised alive, 54% died in hospital. The in-hospital mortality was related to patient characteristics before the cardiac arrest as well as to factors at the resuscitation itself.
Adolescent↗
Survival among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest found in electromechanical dissociation.
BACKGROUND: Many patients who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are found in electromechanical dissociation at the time the Emergency Medical Service (EMS) arrives. Since they have a poor prognosis, less attention has been paid to them. AIM: To describe a consecutive population of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest found in electromechanical dissociation and to try to define indicators for an increased chance of survival in this patient population. SETTING: The municipality of Göteborg. PATIENTS: All the patients who suffered an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between 1981-1992 and were reached by our EMS system and in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was attempted. RESULTS: In all, there were 3434 patients with cardiac arrest of whom 748 (22%) were found in electromechanical dissociation. They differed from patients found in ventricular fibrillation as there were more women, a higher frequency of cardiac arrest during the night, a lower frequency of witnessed cardiac arrest and consequently a lower frequency of bystander-initiated CPR. In all, 96 patients (13%) were hospitalized alive and only 16(2%) could be discharged from hospital. In a multivariate analysis relating to age, sex, time of cardiac arrest, interval between collapse and the arrival of the first ambulance, bystander-initiated CPR and treatment with adrenaline, atropine and tribonate, no independent predictor of survival was found. CONCLUSION: Of all the patients with out-of hospital cardiac arrest in whom CPR was attempted by our EMS, 22% were found in electromechanical dissociation. Of these, 13% were hospitalized alive and 2% could be discharged from the hospital. No independent predictor of an increased chance of survival was found.
Adolescent↗
Adrenaline in out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation. Does it make any difference?
BACKGROUND: A large proportion of cardiac arrests outside hospital are caused by ventricular fibrillation. Although it is frequently used, the exact role of treatment with adrenaline in these patients remains to be determined. AIM: To describe the proportion of patients with witnessed out-of-hospital cardiac arrest found in ventricular fibrillation who survived and were discharged from hospital in relation to whether they were treated with adrenaline prior to hospital admission. PATIENTS AND TREATMENT: All the patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest found in ventricular fibrillation in Göteborg between 1981 and 1992 in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was initiated by our emergency medical service (EMS). During the observation period, some of the EMS staff were authorized to give medication and some were not. RESULTS: In all, 1360 patients were found in ventricular fibrillation and detailed information was available in 1203 cases (88%). Adrenaline was given in 417 cases (35%). Among patients with sustained ventricular fibrillation, those who received adrenaline experienced the return of spontaneous circulation more frequently (P < 0.001) and were hospitalized alive more frequently (P < 0.01). However, the rate of discharge from hospital did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. Among patients who converted to asystole or electromechanical dissociation, those who received adrenaline experienced the return of spontaneous circulation more frequently (P < 0.001) and were hospitalised alive more frequently (P < 0.001). However, the rate of discharge from hospital did not differ significantly between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of 2 treatment regimens during a 12-year survey, we explored the usefulness of adrenaline in out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation. Both patients with sustained ventricular fibrillation and those who converted to asystole or electromechanical dissociation had an initially more favourable outcome if treated with adrenaline. However, the final outcome was not significantly affected. This study does not confirm the hypothesis that adrenaline increases survival among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who are found in ventricular fibrillation.
Aged↗
Prognosis among survivors of prehospital cardiac arrest.
STUDY OBJECTIVE: To describe the prognosis in consecutive patients discharged from hospital after prehospital cardiac arrest. PATIENTS: All patients in the community of Göteborg who were discharged from hospital after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between 1981 and 1991. RESULTS: Two hundred forty-three patients were discharged from hospital during the observation period, of whom 80% initially experienced ventricular fibrillation. Among patients discharged, 21% died during the first year; after 10 years, 82% had died. Age, sex, previous history of cardiovascular disease, circumstances at the time of cardiac arrest, complications during hospitalization, and discharge medications were assessed as predictors of 1-year mortality. Independent predictors of death during follow-up were history of myocardial infarction (P < .001), no prescription of beta-blockers at discharge (P < .01), age (P < .05), and cerebral performance category (CPC) at discharge (P < .05). CONCLUSION: Among patients who survived out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, one of five died during the first year and one of five survived 10 years after discharge. Prognosis was associated with a history of myocardial infarction, prescription of beta-blockers at discharge, age, and CPC at discharge.
Adolescent↗
Survival after cardiac arrest outside hospital over a 12-year period in Gothenburg.
BACKGROUND: A two-tiered ambulance system with a mobile coronary care unit and standard ambulance has operated in Gothenburg (population 434,000) since 1980. Mass education in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) commenced in 1985 and in 1988 semiautomatic defibrillators were introduced. AIM: To describe early and late survival after cardiac arrest outside hospital over a 12-year period. TARGET POPULATION: All patients with prehospital cardiac arrest in Gothenburg reached by mobile coronary care unit or standard ambulance between 1980 and 1992. RESULTS: The number of patients with cardiac arrest remained fairly steady over time. Among patients with witnessed ventricular fibrillation, the time to defibrillation decreased over time. The proportion of patients in whom bystander initiated CPR was increased only moderately over time. The proportion of patients given medication such as lignocaine and adrenaline successively increased. The number of patients with cardiac arrest who were discharged from hospital per year remained steady between 1981 and 1990 (20 per year), but increased during 1991 and 1992 to 41 and 31 respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Improvements in the emergency medical service in Gothenburg over a 12-year period have lead to: (1) a shortened delay time between cardiac arrest and first defibrillation and (2) an improved survival of patients with cardiac arrest outside hospital probably explained by this shortened delay time.
Adult↗
Predictors of early and late survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in which asystole was the first recorded arrhythmia on scene.
BACKGROUND: A large proportion of patients who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have asystole as the initial recorded arrhythmia. Since they have a poor prognosis, less attention has been paid to this group of patients. AIM: To describe a consecutive population of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with asystole as the first recorded arrhythmia and to try to define indicators for an increased chance of survival in this population. SETTING: The community of Gothenburg. PATIENTS: All patients who suffered out-of-hospital cardiac arrest during 1981 to 1992 and were reached by our emergency medical service (EMS) system and where cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was attempted. RESULTS: In all there were 3434 cardiac arrests of which 1222 (35%) showed asystole as the first recorded arrhythmia. They differed from patients with ventricular fibrillation by being younger, including more women and having a longer interval between collapse and arrival of the first ambulance. In all 90 patients (7%) were hospitalized alive and 20 (2%) could be discharged from hospital. Independent predictors for an increased chance of survival were: (a) a short interval between the collapse and arrival of the first ambulance (P < 0.001) and the time the collapse occurred (P < 0.05). Initial treatment given in some cases with adrenaline, atropine and tribonate were not associated with an increased survival. CONCLUSIONS: Of all the patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, 35% were found in asystole. Of these, 7% were hospitalized alive and 2% could be discharged from hospital. Efforts should be made to improve still further the interval between collapse and arrival of the first ambulance.
Adolescent↗
Survival in patients found to have ventricular fibrillation after cardiac arrest witnessed outside hospital.
Since 1980 an Emergency Medical Service (EMS) system with a two-tier ambulance service has been operating in Göteborg. During this 12-year period, all cardiac arrests outside hospital have been monitored. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training for the general public began in 1985 and, by the end of 1992, 125 000 persons had been trained. The aim of this study was to define the factors associated with an increased chance of survival after cardiac arrest witnessed out-of-hospital and secondary to ventricular fibrillation. The study group comprises all patients with cardiac arrest witnessed outside hospital in Göteborg between 1980 and 1992, in whom CPR was initiated by our EMS and ventricular fibrillation observed at the first ECG recording. In a multivariate analysis of age, sex, time of collapse, interval between collapse and first defibrillation, bystander-initiated CPR, the following factors were associated with an increased chance of being discharged from hospital: (1) Short interval between collapse and first defibrillation (P < 0.001); (2) Bystander-initiated CPR (P < 0.001); and (3) Age (P < 0.05). Among patients with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who were found by the EMS personnel to have ventricular fibrillation, the predictors of survival were: interval between collapse and defibrillation, bystander-initiated CPR and age.
Adolescent↗
Risk indicators for, and symptoms associated with, death among patients hospitalized after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
BACKGROUND: An increasing proportion of patients who have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are initially successfully resuscitated and thus hospitalized. AIMS: To define risk indicators for, and to describe the mode of, in-hospital death among patients hospitalized after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. SETTING: Göteborg, Sweden. PATIENTS: All patients hospitalized after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between 1980 and 1992. RESULTS: A total of 707 out of 3434 patients were hospitalized after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, of whom 278 (39%) were discharged alive. Independent risk indicators for in-hospital death were: type of initial arrhythmia on the scene, age, interval between cardiac arrest and arrival of first ambulance, bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation and history of diabetes mellitus. Of the patients who died in hospital, 88% had brain damage and 43% myocardial damage. CONCLUSION: Risk indicators for hospital death can be defined. The majority of in-hospital deaths were associated with brain damage.
Aged↗
Effect of bystander initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation on ventricular fibrillation and survival after witnessed cardiac arrest outside hospital.
OBJECTIVE: To describe the proportion of patients who were discharged from hospital after witnessed cardiac arrest outside hospital in relation to whether a bystander initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation. PATIENTS: All patients with witnessed cardiac arrest outside hospital before arrival of the ambulance and in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation was attempted by the emergency medical service in Gothenburg during 1980-92. RESULTS: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was initiated by a bystander in 18% (303) of 1,660 cases. In this group 69% had ventricular fibrillation at first recording compared with 51% in the remaining patients (P < 0.001). Among patients in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation had been initiated by a bystander 25% were discharged alive versus 8% of the remaining patients (P < 0.001). Independent predictors of survival were in order of significance: initial arrhythmia (P < 0.001), interval between collapse and arrival of first ambulance (P < 0.001), cardiopulmonary resuscitation initiated by a bystander (P < 0.001), and age (P < 0.01). Among patients who were admitted to hospital alive 30% of patients in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation had been initiated by a bystander compared with 58% of remaining patients (P < 0.001) had brain damage and died in hospital. Corresponding figures for death in association with myocardial damage were 18% and 29% respectively (P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Cardiopulmonary resuscitation initiated by a bystander maintains ventricular fibrillation and triples the chance of surviving a cardiac arrest outside hospital. Furthermore, it seems to protect against death in association with brain damage as well as with myocardial damage.
Age Factors↗
[Double emergency medical service system in Göteborg].
During 1989-1991, the mobile coronary care unit (MCCU) in Gothenburg answered 10,908 calls. The most frequent cause of alarm calls was chest pain (21 per cent), whereas cardiac arrest accounted for 9 and surgical cases for 15 per cent. Severe pain was most frequent among patients with chest or abdominal pain. Despite the high frequency of chest pain, only a third of the myocardial infarction cases were attended by the MCCU. Of all cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest where resuscitation was attempted, 26 per cent were alive at admission to hospital, and 10 per cent at discharge, as compared with 48 and 22 per cent, respectively, among the subgroup with bystander-witnessed cardiac arrest and ventricular fibrillation as an initial finding.
Coronary Care Units↗
Follow-up of a 1-year media campaign on delay times and ambulance use in suspected acute myocardial infarction.
In order to reduce the delay times from onset of symptoms to arrival in hospital, and increase the use of ambulance in patients with suspected acute myocardial infarction (AMI), a media campaign was initiated in an urban area. An initial 3-week intense campaign was followed by a maintenance phase of 1 year. Delay times and ambulance use during the campaign were compared with the previous 21 months. Among patients admitted to a coronary care unit (CCU) due to suspected AMI, the median delay time was reduced from 3 h to 2 h 40 min and the mean delay time was reduced from 11 h 33 min to 7 h 42 min (P less than 0.001). Among patients with confirmed AMI the median delay time was reduced from 3 h to 2 h 20 min and the mean delay time from 10 h to 6 h 27 min (P less than 0.001). We conclude that a 1-year media campaign can reduce delay times in suspected AMI, and that this effect appears to continue at 1 year, but ambulance use seems to be more difficult to influence.
Aged↗
Effect of a media campaign to reduce delay times for acute myocardial infarction on the burden of chest pain patients in the emergency department.
We evaluated the effect of a media campaign aimed at reducing delay times in suspected acute myocardial infarction (AMI) on the volume of chest pain patients seen in the emergency department. During the 1st week of the campaign, the mean number of chest pain patients increased from 10.5 per day prior to the start to 25.4. However, the number declined rapidly in subsequent months. The greatest increase was observed in patients with chest pain in whom AMI was not suspected on examination. During the campaign, 4,805 patients with chest pain appeared in the emergency department as compared with 4,407 patients during the same time period prior to its start, an increase of 9%. The number of patients with confirmed AMI increased from 595 to 629 (6%).
Chest Pain↗
Prehospital thrombolysis in suspected acute myocardial infarction: results from the TEAHAT Study.
In a randomized, double-blind study, rt-PA vs. placebo treatment in early suspected acute myocardial infarction (AMI) was evaluated in patients both in hospital and prehospitally. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (a) age less than 75 years; and (b) chest pain indicative of AMI, of no longer than 2.75 h duration before first examination. In the prehospital setting a mobile coronary-care unit, accompanied by a cardiologist, was sent out by the ambulance services to 350 patients, of whom 205 (59%) were classified as non-eligible when examined by the cardiologist. Of the 145 patients who fulfilled the inclusion criteria, 44 were excluded due to contraindications to thrombolytic treatment. Thus 101 patients were randomized to blinded treatment outside hospital. The median time interval between onset of pain and treatment was 75 min, 45 min less than for those subjects who were randomized in hospital. The prevalence of confirmed AMI was 42% in the prehospital group, compared to 66% in the hospital group. Bleeding and cardiac complications for prehospital treatment were few, and similar to those for hospital treatment. In conclusion, prehospital thrombolysis was feasible, and delay times prior to treatment were significantly reduced. However, the specificity and diagnostic accuracy were lower than those achieved with in-hospital therapy.
Aged↗
Reaction to a media campaign focusing on delay in acute myocardial infarction.
A media campaign conducted to reduce delay time and to increase the use of ambulance transport in acute myocardial infarction was performed in an urban area with about half a million inhabitants during 1 year. The main message was that chest pain lasting more than 15 minutes might indicate acute myocardial infarction; dial 90,000 immediately for ambulance transport to the hospital. The target population was the general public. After 6 and 12 months 400 and 610 randomly chosen persons, respectively, were contacted by telephone to evaluate the reaction of the general public to the campaign. Of these, 60% and 71%, respectively, had heard of the campaign, and all parts of the message were spontaneously remembered by 15% and 19%, respectively. The reaction to the campaign was generally positive. Among all patients admitted to the coronary care unit of one of the two city hospitals, 65% were aware of the campaign and 31% of them were of the opinion that they came to the hospital faster because of the campaign. In conclusion, a media campaign aimed at reducing patient delay time in acute myocardial infarction was shown to reach a majority of people in the community and patients with ischemic heart disease. The reaction was positive and about one fifth of interviewed people spontaneously remembered the total message.
Adult↗