TABLE 1.
Characteristics of cardiac arrests, resuscitation attempts, and outcomes
| Cardiac arrest related parameters (N [%]) | All (N = 49) | sCPR‐only (N = 19) | sCPR + Mcpr (N = 30) | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Witnessed | 39 (80%) | 17 (89%) | 22 (73%) | 0.28 |
| Cardiac cause | 45 (92%) | 18 (95%) | 27 (90%) | >0.99 |
| Out‐of‐hospital therapeutic hypothermia | 37 (76%) | 15 (79%) | 22 (73%) | 0.74 |
| Who initiated CPR (N [%]) | ||||
| Layperson | 38 (78%) | 18 (95%) | 20 (67%) | 0.03 |
| Family member | 29 (59%) | 12 (63%) | 17 (57%) | 0.77 |
| First responder | 2 (4%) | 0 (0%) | 2 (7%) | 0.52 |
| Responding EMS personnel | 8 (16%) | 1 (5%) | 7 (23%) | 0.13 |
| Physician or nurse | 3 (6%) | 2 (11%) | 1 (3%) | 0.55 |
| Location of arrest (N [%]) | ||||
| Home/residence | 34 (69%) | 11 (58%) | 23 (77%) | 0.21 |
| Health facility | 2 (4%) | 1 (5%) | 1 (3%) | > 0.99 |
| Public building/place of recreation/industrial/transport center | 9 (18%) | 7 (37%) | 2 (7%) | 0.02 |
| Street/highway | 3 (6%) | 0 (0%) | 3 (10%) | 0.27 |
| Type of bystander CPR/AED (N [%]) | ||||
| Chest compressions only | 37 (76%) | 17 (89%) | 20 (67%) | 0.09 |
| Chest compressions and ventilation | 2 (4%) | 1 (5%) | 1 (3%) | > 0.99 |
| Unknown | 9 (18%) | 1 (5%) | 8 (27%) | 0.13 |
| Dispatch assisted CPR | 37 (76%) | 15 (79%) | 22 (73%) | 0.74 |
| AED use prior to EMS | 5 (10%) | 2 (11%) | 3 (10%) | > 0.99 |
| Advanced airway (N [%]) | 41 (84%) | 15 (79%) | 26 (87%) | 0.69 |
| Oral/nasal endotracheal tube | 30 (61%) | 13 (68%) | 17 (57%) | 0.55 |
| Laryngeal Mask Airway/King Airway | 11 (22%) | 2 (11%) | 9 (30%) | 0.16 |
| Impedance threshold device (ITD) | 45 (92%) | 17 (89%) | 28 (93%) | 0.64 |
| Resuscitation‐related drugs used (N [%]) | 37 (76%) | 7 (37%) | 30 (100%) | < 0.001 |
| Epinephrine | 32 (65%) | 4 (21%) | 28 (93%) | < 0.001 |
| Amiodarone | 21 (43%) | 2 (11%) | 19 (63%) | < 0.001 |
| Sodium bicarbonate | 16 (33%) | 1 (5%) | 15 (50%) | 0.001 |
| Other drugs used | 18 (37%) | 8 (42%) | 10 (33%) | 0.56 |
| Time variables (mm:ss and Median [Q1‐Q3]) | ||||
| Time from arrest to first chest compressions | 03:11 [02:07‐05:30] | 03:03 [02:00‐03:59] | 04:27 [02:51‐05:55] | 0.06 |
| Time from arrest to call | 01:00 [01:00‐02:00] | 01:00 [00:34‐02:00] | 01:00 [01:00‐02:00] | 0.37 |
| Time from arrest to first responder on scene | 06:44 [05:44‐07:48] | 06:15 [05:46‐07:04] | 07:01 [05:44‐07:59] | 0.51 |
| Time from arrest to ambulance on scene | 07:49 [06:19‐09:35] | 07:15 [05:46‐09:21] | 08:09 [07:00‐09:55] | 0.22 |
| Time from arrest to EMS at patient side | 09:00 [07:44‐10:55] | 09:30 [06:46‐10:38] | 08:53 [07:58‐11:40] | 0.57 |
| Time from arrest to ambulance left scene | 33:27 [26:57‐37:24] | 29:39 [25:36‐34:48] | 36:18 [28:49‐45:32] | 0.04 |
| Time from arrest to emergency department arrival | 41:06 [33:36‐49:24] | 37:12 [32:08‐41:37] | 44:41 [36:55‐54:23] | 0.01 |
| Outcome parameters (N [%]) | ||||
| Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) anytime | 40 (82%) | 19 (100%) | 21 (70%) | 0.008 |
| Survived to hospital admission, all VF/VT | 36 (73%) | 18 (95%) | 18 (60%) | 0.008 |
| Discharged alive, all VF/VT | 27 (55%) | 14 (74%) | 13 (43%) | 0.045 |
| Good cerebral performance, CPC 1 | 23 (47%) | 13 (68%) | 10 (33%) | 0.02 |
| Moderate disability, CPC 2 | 3 (6%) | 1 (5%) | 2 (7%) | > 0.99 |
| Severe disability, CPC 3 | 1 (2%) | 0 (0%) | 1 (3%) | > 0.99 |
| Discharged alive, witnessed VF/VT | 23/39 (59%) | 12/17 (71%) | 11/22 (50%) | 0.32 |
CPC, cerebral performance category; EMS, emergency medical services; AED, automated external defibrillator; VF/VT, ventricular fibrillation/ventricular tachycardia; CPR, cardiopulmonary resuscitation; mCPR, mechanical CPR; sCPR, standard manual CPR.
Characteristics of cardiac arrests, parameters of resuscitation attempts, and outcomes for patients presenting with VF/VT treated during 2016 by the Anchorage Fire Department (All), and for subgroups of patients receiving only manual chest compressions (sCPR‐only) and patients receiving manual chest compressions followed by mechanical compressions (sCPR + mCPR).