[Out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest in the population of adults in Szczecin, years 2002-2003] Annales Academiae Medicae Stetinensis [Ann Acad Med Stetin] Journal article

INTRODUCTION: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, with its high fatality rate, is a significant public health issue.
MATERIAL AND METHODS: The survival of 421 patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, who after the resuscitation were admitted to intensive care units in Szczecin in 2002-2003, was investigated. The outcome was analysed at two points of survival: hospital admission and hospital discharge. All data were computed with Microsoft Excel for Windows and were analysed according the Utstein style template.
RESULTS: In the resuscitated group, 326 patients had a cardiac aetiology of the arrest. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) as initial rhythm was observed more frequently. The survival was strictly associated with early defibrillation. Patients with VF as an initial rhythm had an almost four times higher chance of being successfully resuscitated and discharged alive. A total of 42 patients were discharge alive, most of them in good general condition, without any neurological defects.
CONCLUSIONS: The overall mortality rate was high. The outcome of out-of-hospital resuscitation in the city of Szczecin is still unsatisfactory. The results of the present study indicate that the rate of bystander resuscitation should be increased. The low number of resuscitations attempts by laypersons indicates that there is an urgent need to promote better pre-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Annales Academiae Medicae Stetinensis [Ann Acad Med Stetin]