Optimal Response to Cardiac Arrest study: Defibrillation waveform effects

Abstract Introduction: Advances in early defibrillation access, key to the “Chain of Survival”, will depend on innovations in defibrillation waveforms, because of their impact on device size and weight. This study compared standard monophasic waveform automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) to an innovative biphasic waveform AED. Material and methods: Impedance-compensated biphasic truncated exponential (ICBTE) and either monophasic truncated exponential (MTE) or monophasic damped sine (MDS) AEDs were prospectively, randomly assigned by date in four emergency medical services. The study design compared ICBTE with MTE and MDS combined. This subset analysis distinguishes between the two clas…

Multicenter, Randomized, Controlled Trial of 150-J Biphasic Shocks Compared With 200- to 360-J Monophasic Shocks in the Resuscitation of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Victims

Background —In the present study, we compared an automatic external defibrillator (AED) that delivers 150-J biphasic shocks with traditional high-energy (200- to 360-J) monophasic AEDs. Methods and Results —AEDs were prospectively randomized according to defibrillation waveform on a daily basis in 4 emergency medical services systems. Defibrillation efficacy, survival to hospital admission and discharge, return of spontaneous circulation, and neurological status at discharge (cerebral performance category) were compared. Of 338 patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, 115 had a cardiac etiology, presented with ventricular fibrillation, and were shocked with an AED. The time from the e…

European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Executive summary

Abstract: Informed by a series of systematic reviews, scoping reviews and evidence updates from the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation, the 2021 European Resuscitation Council Guidelines present the most up to date evidence-based guidelines for the practice of resuscitation across Europe. The guidelines cover the epidemiology of cardiac arrest; the role that systems play in saving lives, adult basic life support, adult advanced life support, resuscitation in special circumstances, post resuscitation care, first aid, neonatal life support, paediatric life support, ethics and education.

Kids Save Lives – ERC position statement on school children education in CPR.

Sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) with unsuccessful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is the third leading cause of death in industrialised nations.1 After OHCA, the overall survival rates are 2–10%.2–4 In Europe and in the US together, 700,000 people die of OHCA every year. The same applies to other industrialised regions of the world. Many of these lives could be saved if more lay people provided immediate CPR.2 Emergency medical services (EMS) response times can be several (6–12) minutes or even longer.

Corrigendum to “European Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2021: Executive summary” [Resuscitation (2021) 1–60]

Vasopressin oder Adrenalin bei präklinischem Herz-Kreislauf-Stillstand

Da eine Reihe von Untersuchungen nicht zeigen konnte, das Adrenalin mit einem Uberleben bei der Herz-Lungen-Wiederbelebung (HLW) korreliert, erscheint die Untersuchung eines alternativen Vasopressors bei der HLW sinnvoll. Die uber Vasopressin bekannten Daten aus experimentellen und klinischen Studien deuten darauf hin, das der Einsatz von Vasopressin der Therapie eines Kreislaufstillstandes mit Adrenalin uberlegen sein konnte. Eine europaische Multizenter-Studie unter der Schirmherrschaft des European Resuscitation Council (ERC) soll zeigen, ob Vasopressin dem herkommlichen Medikament Adrenalin bei der praklinischen HLW uberlegen ist.