Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.20471/acc.2022.61.02.13

Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes – Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Rate Improvement

Damir Važanić orcid.org/0000-0003-2003-9909 ; roatian Institute for Emergency Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia; Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia; University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia
Ingrid Prkačin orcid.org/0000-0002-5830-7131 ; Department of Internal Medicine, Merkur University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia; University of Zagreb, School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
Višnja Nesek-Adam orcid.org/0000-0002-6521-4136 ; Department for Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Intensive Care, Sveti Duh University Hospital, Zagreb, Croatia; Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Medicine, Osijek, Croatia
Biljana Kurtović orcid.org/0000-0001-9669-9829 ; University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia
Cecilija Rotim ; University of Applied Health Sciences, Zagreb, Croatia; Andrija Štampar Teaching Institute of Public Health, Zagreb, Croatia

Abstract

Approximately 8000 people suffer from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA)
in the Republic of Croatia every year. OHCA survival rates generally remain low despite major advances
in resuscitation. Its incidence and survival rate are well known in many European countries,
but reliable data on OHCA in Croatia are lacking. The aim of the study was to determine survival rate
of patients with OHCA in the Republic of Croatia and the importance of the community bystander
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) rates in the survival chain. This prospective observational study
performed between October 1, 2017 and December 31, 2017 included all adult patients with OHCA
in Croatia who were treated by Emergency Medical Services (EMS). OHCA data were collected from
the Croatian Institute of Emergency Medicine database and Utstein cardiac arrest data collection
form. Descriptive data presentation was used in the analyses. Data were expressed as absolute frequencies
and percentages and central tendency measures. Testing of correlations in return of spontaneous
circulation (ROSC) was performed by logistic regression. During the observation period, a total of
1763 adult patients without signs of circulation were assessed by EMS in Croatia and 760 (43%) adult
patients were resuscitated by EMS personnel. Outcomes measured in ROSC until emergency department
admission were reported in 126 (17%) cases. Shockable rhythm vs. non-shockable rhythm (OR:
5.832, 95% CI: 3.621-9.392; p<0.001) and bystander witnessed cardiac arrest (OR: 8.213, 95% CI:
2.554-26.411, p<0.001) were significantly associated with a higher probability of survival. There was
no significant difference in correlation with day or night shift, etiology of cardiac arrest and bystander
CPR variables. Survival rate of OHCA patients who received CPR until emergency department admission
in Croatia was 17%. A higher survival rate post-OHCA was more likely among patients who
received bystander CPR and had shockable rhythm.

Keywords

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; Outcome; Emergency medical services; Survival

Hrčak ID:

284745

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/284745

Publication date:

1.8.2022.

Article data in other languages: croatian

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