Biomedical subjects

Johan Herlitz

Publications and source records attributed to Johan Herlitz.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

PubMed2005

Rate of admission and long-term prognosis among patients with acute chest pain in the 1990s compared with the 1980s.

We describe the incidence of acute chest pain (requiring admission to the emergency department) and the prognosis during two time periods in all patients admitted to the emergency department at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Göteborg, Sweden, with acute chest pain 1986 and 1987 (period 1) and 1996 and 1997 (period 2). The rate of admission for chest pain/100,000 inhabitants was 4.7/day during period 1 and 5.0/day during period 2. The risk ratio for death adjusted for eight risk factors during period 2 in relation to period 1 was 0.88 (95% CI 0.79-0.97). There was a significant interaction between time period and the severity of the final diagnosis (p=0.02), indicating a greater reduction in mortality among patients with acute myocardial infarction.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2005

Intrusion and confusion--the impact of medication and health professionals after acute myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND: Secondary prevention is important in preventing new cardiovascular events after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). AIM: To explore patients' experiences of secondary prevention after a first AMI. METHODS: A qualitative approach with hermeneutical analysis of in depth interviews was used. RESULTS: Twenty patients (12 men and 8 women, aged 34-79 years) were interviewed. None of the patients was previously treated for cardiovascular disease except one that had a history of angina pectoris. Two main themes emerged from the analysis. 1) Impact of medication: patients interpreted bodily sensations as a consequence of being medicated rather than as a result of their heart attack. The medication led to feelings of being intruded upon but also to positive feelings of security. 2) Impact of health professionals: communication with health professionals resulted in confusion about both treatment and the severity of the coronary disease. Patients expressed a need of being reassured by their physician regarding their physical status. CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals need to consider the impact of pharmacological treatment on patients' life, at least in patients who suffer from a first AMI. The point of departure in secondary preventive work must be patients' beliefs about their condition and the treatment they receive. Nurses and physicians must be aware of the information each patient has been given, and from this starting point, they have to be in concordance with one another. From the patients' perspective it is deemed necessary for the physicians to discuss the disease and the consequences it may have, both in the near future and in the long run, as soon as possible.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2005

Determinants for an impaired quality of life 10 years after coronary artery bypass surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To identify determinants of an inferior quality of life (QoL) 10 years after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). SETTING: Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. PARTICIPANTS: All patients from Western Sweden who underwent CABG between 1988 and 1991 without simultaneous valve surgery and no previous CABG. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Questionnaires for evaluating QoL 10 years after the operation. Three different instruments were used: The Nottingham health profile (NHP), the psychological general wellbeing index (PGWI), and the Physical Activity Score (PAS). RESULTS: 2000 patients underwent CABG, of whom 633 died during 10 years of follow-up. Information on QoL at 10 years was available in 976 patients (71% of survivors). A history of diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were the two independent predictors for an inferior QoL with all three instruments. Furthermore, there were three predictors of an inferior QoL with two of the instruments: high age, female sex and a history of hypertension. A number of factors predicted an inferior QoL with one of the instruments. These were the duration of angina pectoris and functional class prior to CABG, renal dysfunction, a history of cerebrovascular disease, obesity, height, duration of respirator treatment and requirement of inotropic drugs postoperatively. In addition, when introducing preoperative QoL into the model a low QoL before surgery was a strong independent predictor also of an inferior QoL 10 years after CABG. CONCLUSION: Variables independently predictive of an impaired QoL 10 years after CABG, irrespective of the instrument used, were an impaired QoL prior to surgery, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and a history of diabetes. However, other factors reflecting gender, the previous history as well as postoperative complications were also associated with the QoL 10 years later in at least one of these instruments.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Prehospital identification of acute coronary syndrome/myocardial infarction in relation to ST elevation.

AIM: To evaluate factors that identify patients with an acute coronary syndrome/myocardial infarction prior to hospital admission among patients with a suspected acute coronary syndrome who were transported by ambulance with and without ST elevation on the ambulance electrocardiogram (ECG). METHODS: This was a prospective observational study in the part of Stockholm that is served by South Hospital ambulance organisation and the Municipality of Goteborg. All the patients who called for an ambulance due to acute chest pain or other symptoms raising the suspicion of an acute coronary syndrome took part. Immediately after the arrival of the ambulance, a blood sample was drawn for the analysis of serum myoglobin, creatine kinase (CK) MB and troponin I. A 12-lead ECG was simultaneously recorded. Further factors that were taken into consideration were age, gender, history of cardiovascular disease, symptoms and clinical findings. RESULTS: In patients with ST elevation in prehospital ECG, the likelihood of an acute myocardial infarction increased if there were simultaneous ST depression in other leads (OR 3.94, 95% CL 1.26-12.38). For patients without an ST elevation, the likelihood of an acute myocardial infarction increased if there were: elevation of any biochemical marker OR 2.96, 95% CL 1.32-6.64; ST depression (OR 2.54, 95% CL 1.43-4.51), T-inversion (OR 2.22, 95% CL 1.10-4.48), male gender (OR 2.21, 95% CL 1.24-3.93) and increasing age (OR 1.04, 95% CL 1.01-1.06). CONCLUSION: Among patients with a suspected acute coronary syndrome, factors that increased the likelihood for an ongoing acute myocardial infarction could already be defined prior to hospital admission. For those with an ST elevation, factors were found in ECG pattern. For those without an ST elevation, such factors were found in elevation of biochemical markers, admission ECG, male gender and increasing age.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Efficacy, safety and tolerability of metoprolol CR/XL in patients with diabetes and chronic heart failure: experiences from MERIT-HF.

BACKGROUND: The objective of the current study was to examine the efficacy and tolerability of the beta-blocker metoprolol succinate controlled release/extended release (CR/XL) in patients with diabetes in the Metoprolol CR/XL Randomized Intervention Trial in Chronic Heart Failure (MERIT-HF). METHODS: The Cox proportional hazards model was used to calculate hazard ratios (HR) for convenience expressed as relative risks (risk reduction = 1-HR), and 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: The risk of hospitalization for heart failure was 76% higher in diabetics compared to non-diabetics (95% CI 38% to 123%). Metoprolol CR/XL was well tolerated and reduced the risk of hospitalization for heart failure by 37% in the diabetic group (95% CI 53% to 15%), and by 35% in the non-diabetic group (95% CI 48% to 19%). Pooling of mortality data from the Cardiac Insufficiency Bisoprolol Study II (CIBIS II), MERIT-HF, and the Carvedilol Prospective Randomized Cumulative Survival Study (COPERNICUS) showed similar survival benefits in patients with diabetes (25%; 95% CI 40% to 4%) and without diabetes (36%; 95% CI 44% to 27%); test of diabetes by treatment interaction was non-significant. Adverse events were reported more often on placebo than on metoprolol CR/XL. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with heart failure and diabetes have a much higher risk of hospitalization than patients without diabetes. Regardless of diabetic status, a highly significant reduction in hospitalizations for heart failure was observed with metoprolol CR/XL therapy, which was very well tolerated also by patients with diabetes. Furthermore, the pooled data showed a statistically significant survival benefit in patients with diabetes.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

PubMed2005

Factors associated with an increased chance of survival among patients suffering from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in a national perspective in Sweden.

AIM: To describe factors associated with an increased chance of survival among patients suffering from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Sweden. PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients suffering from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, which were not crew witnessed, in Sweden and in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was attempted and who were registered in the Swedish Cardiac Arrest Registry. This registry covers about 85% of the Swedish population and has been running since 1990. RESULTS: In all, 33,453 patients, 71% of whom had a cardiac etiology, were included in the survey. The following were independent predictors for an increased chance of survival in order of magnitude: (1) patients found in ventricular fibrillation (odds ratio [OR] 5.3, 95% confidence limits [CL] 4.2-6.8), (2) the interval between call for and arrival of the ambulance less than or equal to the median (OR 3.6, 95% CL 2.9-4.6), (3) cardiac arrest occurred outside the home (OR 2.2, 95% CL 1.9-2.7), (4) cardiac arrest was witnessed (OR 2.0, 95% CL 1.6-2.7), (5) bystanders performing CPR before the arrival of the ambulance (OR 2.0, 95% CL 1.7-2.4), and (6) age less than or equal to the median (OR 1.6, 95% CL 1.4-2.0). When none of these factors were present, survival to 1 m was 0.4%; when all factors were present, survival was 23.8%. CONCLUSION: Among patients suffering from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, which were not crew witnessed, in Sweden and in whom CPR was attempted, 6 factors for an increased chance of survival could be defined. These include (1) initial rhythm, (2) delay to arrival of the rescue team, (3) place of arrest, (4) witnessed status, (5) bystander CPR, and (6) age.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2005

Symptoms and type of symptom onset in acute coronary syndrome in relation to ST elevation, sex, age, and a history of diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Various efforts to reduce patient delay in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) have had limited success. One reason might be a misinterpretation of the symptoms of ACS. The aim of this study was therefore to explore the characteristics and severity of symptoms among patients with an ACS in overall terms and in relation to the type of ACS, sex, age, and diabetes. METHODS: A total of 1939 patients at 11 hospitals in Sweden answered a questionnaire containing questions relating to the localization and intensity of symptoms, the presence of associated symptoms, the characteristics and experience of pain/symptoms, and the type of symptom onset. RESULTS: Patients with ST elevation differed from those without by more frequently having associated symptoms. They had higher pain/discomfort intensity and more frequently had pain with abrupt onset reaching maximum intensity within minutes. However, this type of symptom onset was only seen in less than half the patients with ST elevation and only 1 in 5 fulfilled all the criteria usually associated with a severe heart attack. Women differed from men in a few respects. They more frequently reported pain/discomfort in the neck or jaw and back, vomiting, and scored their pain/discomfort slightly higher than men. Differences between age groups were minor and there was no difference between patients with and without diabetes. CONCLUSIONS: The most striking finding was the low proportion of patients with the type of symptoms that are commonly associated with ACS. This is important for the planning of educational campaigns/programs to reduce patient delay.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Experiences and concerns among patients being treated for atypical chest pain.

BACKGROUND: Many patients who are discharged from the hospital without receiving a clear-cut diagnosis of their chest pain continue to consume health care because of disabling physical and psychological symptoms. By identifying their experiences and concerns following hospitalization, an empirical basis for discussions on ways of improving the care of these particular patients will be obtained. METHODS: A qualitative analysis of semi-structured interviews with 38 patients with a diagnosis of unspecified chest pain was carried out. RESULTS: Two-thirds of the respondents had unanswered questions and concerns that had not been addressed. They found it difficult to understand why they had not undergone more tests. They requested an explanation for their chest pain, at the very least, or were worried about the future. Some respondents accepted the fact that they had not been given a sufficient amount of time and information. They referred to the stressful working situation of the physicians, the view that their admission could be regarded as unnecessary or that physicians at the hospital could not be expected to do more than exclude serious diseases. CONCLUSIONS: Health professionals should address their patients' questions and fears properly and provide them with the most probable explanation for their symptoms. When taking the harmlessness of their symptoms or the situation of their caregivers into account, patients may find it inappropriate to impose further demands on care.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

Localization of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Goteborg 1994-2002 and implications for public access defibrillation.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to report the locality of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in the city of Goteborg and to identify implications for public access defibrillation (PAD). METHODS: Ambulance run reports for the years 1994-2002 were studied retrospectively and manually to establish the location of the cardiac arrest. RESULTS: The location could be identified in 2194 of 2197 patients (99.9%). One thousand four hundred and twenty-nine (65%) of the arrests took place in the victims' homes. Two hundred eighty-five (13%) were outdoors and 57 (3%) in cars. Fifty-one (2%) took place en route in ambulances. These arrests were regarded not to be generally suitable for PAD. One hundred thirty-five (6%) of the arrests happened in a public building. Eighteen of these 135 were in 15 different general practitioners' offices. A ferry terminal had 11 cardiac arrests. One hundred fifty (7%) of the arrests took place in different care facilities. Twenty-one (1%) patients had their cardiac arrest in public transport locations. Twenty-two (1%) patients arrested at work in 20 different sites. In total, 17% of the cardiac arrests were regarded as generally suitable for PAD. Several sites with more than one cardiac arrest in five years could be identified and 54 patients (2.5%) had their cardiac arrest in these high-incidence sites. CONCLUSION: Among patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Goteborg in whom resuscitation efforts were attempted 17% of all cardiac arrests were regarded as generally suitable for PAD. According to previous suggestions, the indication for public access defibrillation is in a place with a reasonable probability of use of one AED in 5 years. Several high-incidence sites that probably would benefit from defibrillator availability could be identified, and 54 patients (2.5%) arrested in these sites.

Defibrillators↗

PubMed2005

Characteristics of patients who die in hospital with no attempt at resuscitation.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the characteristics, cause of hospitalisation and symptoms prior to death in patients dying in hospital without resuscitation being started and the extent to which these decisions were documented. MATERIALS AND METHODS: All patients who died at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Goteborg, Sweden, in whom cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was not attempted during a period of one year. RESULTS: Among 674 patients, 71% suffered respiratory insufficiency, 43% were unconscious and 32% had congestive heart failure during the 24h before death. In the vast majority of patients, the diagnosis on admission to hospital was the same as the primary cause of death. The cause of death was life-threatening organ failure, including malignancy (44%), cerebral lesion (10%) and acute coronary syndrome (10%). The prior decision of 'do not attempt resuscitation' (DNAR) was documented in the medical notes in 82%. In the remaining 119 patients (18%), only 16 died unexpectedly. In all these 16 cases, it was regarded retrospectively as ethically justifiable not to start CPR. CONCLUSION: In patients who died at a Swedish University Hospital, we did not find a single case in which it was regarded as unethical not to start CPR. The patient group studied here had a poor prognosis due to a severe deterioration in their condition. To support this, we also found a high degree of documentation of DNAR. The low rate of CPR attempts after in-hospital cardiac arrest appears to be justified.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Possibilities for, and obstacles to, CPR training among cardiac care patients and their co-habitants.

AIM: To investigate the level of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training among cardiac patients and their co-habitants and to describe the possibilities for, and obstacles to, CPR training among this group. METHODS: All patients admitted to a coronary care unit during a four-month period were considered for participation in an interview study. Out of 401 patients, 268 were co-habiting. This study deals with these subjects. RESULTS: According to the answers given by the patients, 46% of the patients and 33% of the co-habitants had attended a CPR course at some time. Among those who had not previously attended a course, 58% were willing to attend, and 60% of the patients whose co-habitant had not received CPR education, wanted him or her to attend a course. The major obstacle to CPR training was the patient's own medical status. The major obstacle to the co-habitant's participation was the patient's doubts concerning their partner's physical ability or willingness to participate. Younger persons were more often willing to undergo training than older persons (p < 0.0001). Of those patients who had previously attended a course or who were willing to undergo training, 72% were prepared to do so together with their co-habitant. A course specially designed for cardiac patients and their relatives was a possible alternative for 75% of those willing to participate together with their co-habitant. CONCLUSIONS: Two-thirds of the patients did not believe that their co-habitant had taken part in CPR training. More than half of these would like their co-habitant to attend such a course. Seventy-two percent were willing to participate in CPR instruction together with their co-habitant. Major obstacles to CPR training were doubts concerning the co-habitant's willingness or physical ability and their own medical status.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

A history of diabetes is associated with an adverse outcome among patients admitted to hospital alive after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: Factors of importance for the outcome among patients who are admitted to hospital alive after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest are not well described in the literature. The importance of a history of diabetes for the outcome among these patients has not been reported in detail previously. This survey aims to describe the outcome among patients who were admitted to hospital after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in relation to whether they had a history of diabetes. METHODS: All patients who were admitted to hospital alive after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the two city hospitals in the Municipality of Göteborg between 1980 and 2002 were included in the survey. RESULTS: In all, 1377 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria and 187 (14%) of them had a history of diabetes. Patients with diabetes differed from those without diabetes by having a previous history of myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, hypertension and heart failure more frequently. Furthermore, they were older, with a mean age of 70 years versus 66 years for patients without diabetes. Among patients with diabetes, 25% were discharged alive, as compared with 37% of patients without diabetes (p=0.002). When adjusting for differences at baseline, the adjusted odds ratio for diabetic patients being discharged alive (versus no diabetes) was 0.57 (95% confidence interval, 0.39-0.80). CONCLUSION: Among patients admitted to hospital after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, 14% had a history of diabetes. These patients had a lower survival rate compared with those without diabetes, even after correcting for dissimilarities at baseline. It remains to be determined whether an early metabolic intervention in these patients will improve survival.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2005

Very high survival among patients defibrillated at an early stage after in-hospital ventricular fibrillation on wards with and without monitoring facilities.

BACKGROUND: The association between the interval between collapse and defibrillation and outcome is well described in out of hospital cardiac arrest but not as well in in-hospital cardiac arrest. We report the outcome among patients who suffered an in-hospital cardiac arrest and were found in ventricular fibrillation (VF) with the emphasis on the delay to defibrillation. METHODS AND RESULTS: In patients who suffered an in-hospital cardiac arrest at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Göteborg between 1994 and 2002 there were 1.570 calls for the rescue team of which 71% had suffered a cardiac arrest. Among cardiac arrests 47% took place on monitored wards. The proportion of patients found in VF was 59% on wards with monitoring facilities and 45% on wards without (p<0.0001). Approximately 90% of these patients were defibrillated 12 min. On monitored wards, the survival was 63% if defibrillated 3 min after collapse (NS). The corresponding values for non-monitored wards were 72% and 35%, respectively (p=0.0003). Cerebral function among survivors at discharge appeared to be good among the majority of patients both in monitored and non monitored wards. CONCLUSION: If patients with in hospital VF were defibrillated early in both monitored and non monitored wards survival to hospital discharge was high. This highlights the importance of being prepared for the rapid defibrillation on wards without monitoring facilities.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Incidence of EMS-treated out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Europe.

BACKGROUND: The potential impact of efforts in Europe to improve survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is unclear, in part, because estimates of incidence and survival are uncertain. The aim of the investigation was to determine a representative European incidence and survival from cardiac arrest in all-rhythms and in ventricular fibrillation treated by the emergency medical services (EMS). METHODS AND RESULTS: We used Medline to identify peer-reviewed articles published between 1 January 1980 and 30 June 2004 that reported a European community's EMS cardiac arrest experience. Inclusion criteria required the study to include at least 25 cases, report of the total number of all-rhythm and/or ventricular fibrillation arrests, and information about population size and study duration. The incidence was computed by dividing the total number of events by the product of the community's population and the study duration. Reports from 37 communities met the inclusion criteria. A total of 18,105 all-rhythm EMS-treated cardiac arrests occurred during 48 million person-years of observation, resulting in an overall incidence for all-rhythm arrests of 37.72 per 100,000 person-years. Incidence of ventricular fibrillation arrest was 16.84 per 100,000 person-years. Survival was 10.7% for all-rhythm and 21.2% for ventricular fibrillation cardiac arrest. Applying these results to the European population, approximately, 275,000 persons would experience, all-rhythm cardiac arrest treated by the EMS with 29,000 persons surviving to hospital discharge. CONCLUSION: The results provide a framework to assess opportunities and limitations of EMS care with regard to the public health burden of cardiac arrest in Europe.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation↗

PubMed2005

Efficacy of bystander CPR: intervention by lay people and by health care professionals.

BACKGROUND: Early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by bystanders prior to the arrival of the rescue team has been shown to be associated with increased survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The aim of this survey was to evaluate the impact on survival of no bystander CPR, lay bystander CPR and professional bystander CPR. METHODS: Patients suffering an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Sweden between 1990 and 2002 who were given CPR and were not witnessed by the ambulance crew were included. RESULTS: In all, 29,711 patients were included, 36% of whom received bystander CPR prior to the arrival of the rescue team. Among the latter, 72% received CPR from lay people and 28% from professionals. Survival to 1 month was 2.2% among those who received no bystander CPR, 4.9% among those who received bystander CPR from lay people (p<0.0001) and 9.2% among those who received bystander CPR from professionals (p<0.0001 compared with bystander CPR by lay people). In a multivariate analysis, lay bystander CPR was associated with improved survival compared to no bystander CPR (OR: 2.04; 95% CI: 1.72-2.42), and professional bystander CPR was associated with improved survival compared to lay bystander CPR (OR: 1.37; 95% CI: 1.12-1.67). CONCLUSION: Among patients suffering an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, bystander CPR by lay persons (excluding health care professionals) is associated with an increased chance of survival. Furthermore, there is a distinction between lay persons and health care providers; survival is higher when the latter perform bystander CPR. However, these results may not be explained by differences in the quality of CPR.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2005

Recommended guidelines for reviewing, reporting, and conducting research on post-resuscitation care: the Utstein style.

The aim of this report is to establish recommendations for reviewing, reporting, and conducting research during the post-resuscitation period in hospital. It defines data that are needed for research and more specialised registries and therefore supplements the recently updated Utstein template for resuscitation registries. The updated Utstein template and the out-of-hospital "Chain of Survival" describe factors of importance for successful resuscitation up until return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Several factors in the in-hospital phase after ROSC are also likely to affect the ultimate outcome of the patient. Large differences in survival to hospital discharge for patients admitted alive are reported between hospitals. Therapeutic hypothermia has been demonstrated to improve the outcome, and other factors such as blood glucose, haemodynamics, ventilatory support, etc., might also influence the result. No generally accepted, scientifically based protocol exists for the post-resuscitation period in hospital, other than general brain-oriented intensive care. There is little published information on this in-hospital phase. This statement is the result of a scientific consensus development process started as a symposium by a task force at the Utstein Abbey, Norway, in September 2003. Suggested data are defined as core and supplementary and include the following categories: pre-arrest co-morbidity and functional status, cause of death, patients' quality of life, in-hospital system factors, investigations and treatment, and physiological data at various time points during the first three days after admission. It is hoped that the publication of these recommendations will encourage research into the in-hospital post-resuscitation phase, which we propose should be included in the chain-of-survival as a fifth ring. Following these recommendations should enable better understanding of the impact of different in-hospital treatment strategies on outcome.

Diagnostic Techniques, Cardiovascular↗

PubMed2005

Changes in demographic factors and mortality after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Sweden.

OBJECTIVE: To describe changes between 1992 and 2003 in age, sex, factors at resuscitation and survival among patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Sweden. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study including various ambulance organizations in Sweden. Patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between 1992 and 2003 included in the Swedish Cardiac Arrest Registry were followed for survival to 1 month. RESULTS: In all 19 791 cases took part in the survey. There was a slight increase in mean age from 68 to 70 years (P = 0.025) and an increase of females from 29 to 32% (P = 0.0001). There was a change in witnessed status (P < 0.0001) with an increase in crew-witnessed cases and a decrease in non-witnessed cases. There was a decrease in cases of a cardiac etiology from 75 to 61% (P < 0.0001) and a decrease in the percentage found in ventricular fibrillation from 36 to 25% (P < 0.0001). When crew-witnessed cases were excluded the proportion receiving bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) increased from 30 to 42% (P < 0.0001). There was a slight increase in the overall proportion of patients hospitalized alive from 16 to 20% (P = 0.032). There was no significant change in the overall proportion of survivors at 1 month after cardiac arrest (4.5% in 1992 and 5.0% in 2003). CONCLUSIONS: Among patients suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Sweden some changes took place. The most important ones were a decrease in the proportion of patients found in ventricular fibrillation and an increase in the proportion of patients receiving bystander CPR. The proportion of patients admitted alive to hospital increased moderately, whereas the proportion of patients alive after 1 month remained unchanged.

Age Distribution↗

PubMed2004

Cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation outcome reports: update and simplification of the Utstein templates for resuscitation registries: a statement for healthcare professionals from a task force of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (American Heart Association, European Resuscitation Council, Australian Resuscitation Council, New Zealand Resuscitation Council, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, InterAmerican Heart Foundation, Resuscitation Councils of Southern Africa).

Outcome after cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation is dependent on critical interventions, particularly early defibrillation, effective chest compressions, and advanced life support. Utstein-style definitions and reporting templates have been used extensively in published studies of cardiac arrest, which has led to greater understanding of the elements of resuscitation practice and progress toward international consensus on science and resuscitation guidelines. Despite the development of Utstein templates to standardize research reports of cardiac arrest, international registries have yet to be developed. In April 2002, a task force of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) met in Melbourne, Australia, to review worldwide experience with the Utstein definitions and reporting templates. The task force revised the core reporting template and definitions by consensus. Care was taken to build on previous definitions, changing data elements and operational definitions only on the basis of published data and experience derived from those registries that have used Utstein-style reporting. Attention was focused on decreasing the complexity of the existing templates and addressing logistical difficulties in collecting specific core and supplementary (ie, essential and desirable) data elements recommended by previous Utstein consensus conferences. Inconsistencies in terminology between in-hospital and out-of-hospital Utstein templates were also addressed. The task force produced a reporting tool for essential data that can be used for both quality improvement (registries) and research reports and that should be applicable to both adults and children. The revised and simplified template includes practical and succinct operational definitions. It is anticipated that the revised template will enable better and more accurate completion of all reports of cardiac arrest and resuscitation attempts. Problems with data definition, collection, linkage, confidentiality, management, and registry implementation are acknowledged and potential solutions offered. Uniform collection and tracking of registry data should enable better continuous quality improvement within every hospital, emergency medical services system, and community.

Adult↗