Speed of Resuscitation Critical to Survival Outcomes After Cardiac Arrest Events
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
MONDAY, March 31, 2025 -- For patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), the proportion receiving layperson bystander life support (BLS) has increased, but a critical factor in determining survival and long-term outcomes is how quickly cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is initiated, according to a study presented at the annual ESC Acute CardioVascular Care congress, held from March 14 to 15 in Florence, Italy.
Aneta Aleksova, M.D., from the University of Trieste in Italy, and colleagues examined whether the percentage of layperson initial rescuers has changed over time in the setting of OHCA during ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Data were included for 172 patients with OHCA among 3,315 with STEMI admitted in Italy between 2003 and 2024.
The researchers found that 26 percent of the patients with OHCA were initially rescued by a layperson. The percentage of layperson BLS increased constantly, from 26 percent in 2003-2007 to 69 percent in 2020-2024. The median time to return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was 10 minutes. Compared with emergency medical service (EMS) CPR, longer ROSC was seen with layperson-initiated BLS (20 versus 5 minutes). Patients who received layperson BLS more frequently underwent endotracheal intubation than those receiving EMS CPR (91 versus 65 percent). Overall, 44 patients died during their hospital stay, with no difference seen by type of initial rescuer. On logistic regression analysis and after correction for rescuer type, predictors of in-hospital mortality included worse left ventricular ejection fraction, longer time to ROSC, and older age (odds ratios, 1.38, 1.38, and 1.46, respectively). Long-term outcome did not differ according to initial rescuer.
"Our data highlights the importance of immediate resuscitation and underlines the importance to promote population awareness and BLS training to further improve survival after OHCA," the authors write.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted March 2025
Read this next
Racialized Economic Segregation Linked to Advanced Cancer Diagnosis
FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2025 -- People living in racially and economically segregated neighborhoods are more likely to be diagnosed with advanced-stage breast and cervical cancer...
New Subtype of Diabetes Identified in Sub-Saharan Africans, Black Americans
FRIDAY, Aug. 1, 2025 -- A new diabetes subtype has been identified in Sub-Saharan Africans and Black Americans, according to a study published online July 21 in The Lancet...
Changes in Missouri Law Linked to Increased Breast Cancer Screening Rates
THURSDAY, July 31, 2025 -- Changes in Missouri law expanding breast cancer screening coverage have led to increased screening rates among Medicaid patients and an increased...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.