Improving outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: impact of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and prehospital physician care

Robert J H Jackson; Jerry P Nolan

doi:10.1186/cc9356

Improving outcome in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: impact of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and prehospital physician care

Crit Care. 2011 Jan 12;15(1):101. doi: 10.1186/cc9356.

Authors

Robert J H Jackson¹, Jerry P Nolan

Affiliation

¹ Intensive Care Medicine, Royal United Hospital NHS Trust, Bath BA1 3NG, UK. robsjournals@randkjackson.co.uk

PMID: 21244719
PMCID: PMC3222014
DOI: 10.1186/cc9356

Abstract

Evidence for the impact of prehospital, physician-delivered advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) on survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is conflicting. The prospective observational study by Yasunaga and co-workers demonstrates an improved survival at 1 month associated with prehospital physician-delivered ACLS over emergency life-saving technician-delivered ACLS. These effects are additive to the survival benefit seen with bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR) compared with no BCPR. The present commentary places these findings in the context of the existing literature and discusses some of the unresolved controversies.

Publication types

Comment

MeSH terms

Advanced Cardiac Life Support / mortality*
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / mortality*
Cooperative Behavior*
Female
Humans
Male
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / mortality*
Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / therapy*
Physicians*
Population Surveillance*