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Acute Med Surg 2019 Apr 10;6(2):117-122. Epub 2019 Jan 10.

Department of Emergency Medicine Kawasaki Municipal Hospital Kanagawa Japan.

Aim: To better understand the current status and barriers to making basic life support a common practice among the citizens of Kawasaki City, Japan.

Method: We extracted data according to the Utstein-style guidelines specifically regarding out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) of cardiac etiology. The items were as follows: (i) OHCA witnessed by a citizen, (ii) the victim received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), (iii) an automatic external defibrillator was used by the witness. Read More

High Alt Med Biol 2019 Mar 25;20(1):71-77. Epub 2019 Feb 25.

3 Emeritus, Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, Geneva University, Geneva, Switzerland.

Background: Because of the limited evidence available, recommendations for defibrillation of hypothermic patients vary among published guidelines.

Aim: To report successful defibrillation of four severely hypothermic patients with witnessed cardiac arrest.

Results: During a four-year period from 2014 to 2017, four of five hypothermic patients admitted to our institution with a history of sudden, unexpected ventricular fibrillation (core temperature: 24°C-27°C) were successfully defibrillated. Read More

Emerg Med Int 2018 29;2018:1480726. Epub 2018 Nov 29.

Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Soonchunhyang University, Bucheon, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.

Background: In South Korea, the prehospital treatment of cardiac arrest is generally led by an emergency medical technician-paramedic (EMT-P), and defibrillation is delivered by the automatic external defibrillator (AED). This study aimed at examining the effects of direct medical guidance by an emergency physician through a video call that enabled prompt manual defibrillation.

Methods: Two-hundred eighty-eight paramedics based in Gyeonggi Province were studied for four months, from July to November 2015. Read More

Curr Cardiovasc Risk Rep 2018 Nov 3;12. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Gillings School of Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.

Purpose Of Review: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains a significant health problem in the USA and only 8.6% of victims survive with good neurological function, despite advances in emergency cardiac care. The likelihood of OHCA survival decreases by 10% for every minute without resuscitation. Read More

Resuscitation 2019 Jan 11;134:127-132. Epub 2018 Nov 11.

UIC and Health Sciences, C/ JosepTrueta s/n. 08195 St. Cugat del Vallès, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

Background: The use of online teaching methodology for basic life support (BLS) courses is progressively increasing.

Objective: The objective of this study was to verify whether the blended-learning methodology (virtual course with a short face-to-face complement) was more efficient than a course that followed the classical or face-to-face methodology in our university.

Materials And Methods: A cost minimization analysis was performed for two BLS and automatic external defibrillation (AED) courses, one of which was conducted face-to-face (Control Group) and the second of which was conducted via blended-learning (Experimental Group). Read More

Aerosp Med Hum Perform 2018 Aug;89(8):754-759

Introduction: Although cardiac arrest during airline flights is relatively uncommon, the unusual setting, limited resources, and the variability of the skills in medical volunteers present unique challenges. Survival in patients who suffer a witnessed arrest with a shockable rhythm who are treated promptly has improved since the advent of widely available automated external defibrillators (AEDs). In general, the chances of survival from an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) are greater when ventricular fibrillation (VF) is seen as the initial rhythm or if there is return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Read More

G Ital Cardiol (Rome) 2018 Mar;19(3):178-186

Clinica di Cardiologia ed Aritmologia, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria "Ospedali Riuniti", Ancona.

Background: Despite the many recent improvements in basic life support (BLS) and the widespread training to a great number of lay rescuers, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is still a major cause of death. Nowadays, BLS teaching protocols ask for many concepts to be learned and specific algorithms to be applied, without any available data on how much all these inputs are retained by the students. The present survey aims to evaluate how BLS is really retained by those rescuers (laypersons and nurses) who do not often put it into practice. Read More

Nurse Educ Today 2018 Jun 24;65:232-238. Epub 2018 Mar 24.

Universitat de Barcelona and Senior Consultant at the Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address:

Aim Of The Study: The objective of this study was to compare the immediate and 6-month efficacy of basic life support (BLS) and automatic external defibrillation (AED) training using standard or blended methods.

Methods: First-year students of medicine and nursing (n = 129) were randomly assigned to a control group (face-to-face training based on the European Resuscitation Council [ERC] Guidelines) or to an experimental group that trained with a self-training video, a new website, a Moodle platform, an intelligent manikin, and 45 min of instructor presence. Both groups were homogeneous and were evaluated identically. Read More

Resuscitation 2018 04 4;125:83-89. Epub 2018 Feb 4.

Fondazione Ticino Cuore, Lugano, Switzerland; Division of Cardiology, Fondazione Cardiocentro Ticino, Lugano, Switzerland; Center for Computational Medicine in Cardiology, Università della Svizzera Italiana, Lugano, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Background: Mathematical optimisation models have recently been applied to identify ideal Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) locations that maximise coverage of Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA). However, these fixed location models cannot relocate existing AEDs in a flexible way, and have nearly exclusively been applied to urban regions. We developed a flexible location model for AEDs, compared its performance to existing fixed location and population models, and explored how these perform across urban and rural regions. Read More

Wien Med Wochenschr 2018 Apr 31;168(5-6):99-107. Epub 2018 Jan 31.

Klinik III für Innere Medizin, Herzzentrum der Uniklinik Köln, Kerpener Straße 62, 50937, Köln, Deutschland.

Background: Sudden cardiac arrest is still one of the most frequent causes of death. Teaching resuscitation in schools was already successfully implemented in Scandinavian countries. Following a recommendation of the conference of german stateministers of education in June 2014, additional tuition for resuscitation is to be implemented in german schools starting in seventh grade. Read More

Int J Technol Assess Health Care 2017 Jan 16;33(4):424-429. Epub 2017 Oct 16.

Health Information and Quality Authority,Dublin.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to illustrate the contribution of stakeholder engagement to the impact of health technology assessment (HTA) using an Irish HTA of a national public access defibrillation (PAD) program.

Background: In response to draft legislation that proposed a PAD program, the Minister for Health requested that Health Information and Quality Authority undertake an HTA to inform the design and implementation of a national PAD program and the necessary underpinning legislation. The draft legislation outlined a program requiring widespread installation and maintenance of automatic external defibrillators in specified premises. Read More

Zhonghua Wei Zhong Bing Ji Jiu Yi Xue 2017 Oct;29(10):946-949

Department of Emergency Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Henan University of Science and Technology, Luoyang 471003, Henan, China (Hu YY); Department of Emergency Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China (Xu J, Yu XZ). Corresponding author: Yu Xuezhong, Email:

It's necessary to interrupt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for a reliable automatic external defibrillator (AED) rhythm analysis, because the mechanical activity from the chest compressions introduces artifacts in the electrocardiogram (ECG) that substantially lower the capacity of an AED to judge cardio-electric rhythm. However, repeated interruptions of compression will reduce the quality of CPR, which in turn affect the prognosis of patients with cardiac arrest (CA). In order to improve the quality of CPR, reduce the interruptions of chest compression and implement accurate defibrillation, people have made many efforts on identifying ECG rhythm in CPR. Read More

Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed) 2018 02 22;71(2):64-66. Epub 2017 Sep 22.

Unitat de Crítics Cardiovasculars, Servei de Cardiologia, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, Spain.

J Am Coll Cardiol 2017 Sep;70(12):1496-1509

Department of Cardiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

Cardiac arrest is defined as the termination of cardiac activity associated with loss of consciousness, of spontaneous breathing, and of circulation. Sudden cardiac arrest and sudden cardiac death (SCD) are terms often used interchangeably. Most patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have shown coronary artery disease or symptoms during the hour before the event. Read More

Pan Afr Med J 2017 30;27:157. Epub 2017 Jun 30.

UFR Sciences de la Santé, Université Gaston Berger de Saint Louis, Sénégal.

Poorly tolerated broad QRS complex tachycardia in a newborn poses problems with its diagnosis and emergency management. We report the case of a 35-day-old newborn with broad QRS complex tachycardia admitted because of cardiocirculatory distress. Doppler echocardiography showed morphologically normal heart. Read More

JAMA Cardiol 2017 Oct;2(10):1110-1118

University of Washington, Seattle.

Importance: We examined whether resuscitation care and outcomes vary by the racial composition of the neighborhood where out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) occur.

Objective: To evaluate the association between bystander treatments (cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automatic external defibrillation) and timing of emergency medical services personnel on OHCA outcomes according to the racial composition of the neighborhood where the OHCA event occurred.

Design, Setting, And Participants: This retrospective observational cohort study examined patients with OHCA from January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2011, using data from the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium. Read More

Resuscitation 2017 09 24;118:27-34. Epub 2017 Jun 24.

Institute of Anaesthesiology, University and University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. Electronic address:

Introduction: Out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) occurs frequently and the outcome is often dismal. Early defibrillation saves lives and brain function in OHCA. The Zurich city police (STAPO) forces were instructed and equipped to provide basic life support (BLS) and to use an AED in 2009. Read More

Resuscitation 2017 09 16;118:140-146. Epub 2017 May 16.

Department of Cardiology, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Aim: An increasing number of failing automated external defibrillators (AEDs) is reported: AEDs not giving a shock or other malfunction. We assessed to what extent AEDs are 'failing' and whether this had a device-related or operator-related cause.

Methods: We studied analysis periods from AEDs used between January 2012 and December 2014. Read More

Rev Esp Cardiol (Engl Ed) 2018 Feb 16;71(2):79-85. Epub 2017 May 16.

Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Universitari Dr. Josep Trueta, Girona, Spain; Departamento de Ciencias Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Girona, Girona, Spain; Centro de Genética Cardiovascular, Instituto de investigación biomédica de Girona (IDIBGI), Girona, Spain.

Introduction And Objectives: In recent years, public access defibrillation programs have exponentially increased the availability of automatic external defibrillators (AED) in public spaces but there are no data on their performance in our setting. We conducted a descriptive analysis of the performance of AED since the launch of a public defibrillation program in our region.

Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of electrocardiographic tracings and the performance of AED in a public defibrillation program from June 2011 to June 2015 in the province of Girona, Spain. Read More

Br Med Bull 2017 06;122(1):5-15

Sarver Heart Center, University of Arizona, 1501 N. Campbell Avenue, Tucson, AZ 85724, USA.

Introduction: Sudden cardiac arrest continues to be the leading cause of death in the industrialized world.

Sources Of Data: Original papers, reviews and guidelines.

Areas Of Agreement: Community programs for lay bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automatic external defibrillation improve outcomes. Read More

Hong Kong Med J 2016 Dec 31;22(6):582-8. Epub 2016 Oct 31.

Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.

Introduction: The survival rate of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Hong Kong is low. A long delay between collapse and defibrillation is a contributing factor. Public access to defibrillation may shorten this delay. Read More

Resuscitation 2017 01 22;110:12-17. Epub 2016 Oct 22.

Fondazione Ticino Cuore, Breganzona, Switzerland; Division of Cardiology, Fondazione Cardiocentro Ticino, Lugano, Switzerland.

Purpose: Early and good quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) improve cardiac arrest patients' survival. However, AED peri- and post-shock/analysis pauses may reduce CPR effectiveness.

Methods: The time performance of 12 different commercially available AEDs was tested in a manikin based scenario; then the AEDs recordings from the same tested models following the clinical use both in Pavia and Ticino were analyzed to evaluate the post-shock and post-analysis time. Read More

Resuscitation 2016 11 23;108:68-74. Epub 2016 Sep 23.

Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC), INSERM Unit 970, Paris, France; Université Paris Descartes-Paris V, AP-HP, Paris, France; AP-HP, Service de Cardiologie, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France.

Background: The benefits of available automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) are well known, but strategies for their deployment outdoors remain somewhat arbitrary. Our study sought to assess different strategies for AED deployment.

Methods: All OHCAs in Paris between 2000 and 2010 were prospectively recorded and geocoded. Read More

Springerplus 2016 9;5(1):1524. Epub 2016 Sep 9.

Department of Emergency Medicine, College of Medicine, Dong-A University, Busan, 49201 Republic of Korea.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is considered an important health issue worldwide, and early defibrillation is a key element for a favourable prognosis. In South Korea, public access defibrillation (PAD) programmes were initiated in 2007. However, the impact of PAD programmes on OHCA survival rates remains unclear. Read More

Resuscitation 2016 09 18;106:1-6. Epub 2016 Jun 18.

Academic Medical Center, Department of Cardiology, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: Previous large retrospective analyses have found an association between duration of peri-shock pauses in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and survival. In a randomized trial, we tested whether shortening these pauses improves survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

Methods: Patients with OHCA between May 2006 and January 2014 with shockable initial rhythm, treated by first responders, were randomized to two automated external defibrillator (AED) treatment protocols. Read More

Acute Med Surg 2016 10 18;3(4):356-359. Epub 2016 Apr 18.

Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine University of Tsukuba Hospital Tsukuba Japan.

Aim: The use of automated external defibrillators was expanded to include infants according to the 2010 cardiopulmonary resuscitation guidelines in Japan. However, deployment has been slower for pediatric patients in Japan, because there are fewer appropriate pediatric patients for automated external defibrillators than adults. This study aimed to investigate the targeted age range for pediatric defibrillation and device deployment of defibrillators for pediatric patients in prehospital emergency medical care settings in Japan, and present the issues associated with automated external defibrillators. Read More

Zhongguo Yi Liao Qi Xie Za Zhi 2015 Nov;39(6):391-4

Defibrillation is the most effective method of treating ventricular fibrillation(VF), this paper introduces wearable automatic external defibrillators based on embedded system which includes EGG measurements, bioelectrical impedance measurement, discharge defibrillation module, which can automatic identify VF signal, biphasic exponential waveform defibrillation discharge. After verified by animal tests, the device can realize EGG acquisition and automatic identification. After identifying the ventricular fibrillation signal, it can automatic defibrillate to abort ventricular fibrillation and to realize the cardiac electrical cardioversion. Read More

Anasthesiol Intensivmed Notfallmed Schmerzther 2016 Mar 29;51(3):178-86. Epub 2016 Mar 29.

Witnesses of a sudden cardiac arrest play a key-role in resuscitation. Lay-persons should therefore be trained to recognize that a collapsed person who is not breathing at all or breathing normally might suffer from cardiac arrest. Information of professional emergency medical staff by lay-persons and their initiation of cardio-pulmonary-resuscitation-measures are of great importance for cardiac-arrest victims. Read More

Herzschrittmacherther Elektrophysiol 2016 Mar;27(1):31-7

Medizinische Klinik II (Schwerpunkte Kardiologie und Angiologie), Marien Hospital Herne, Universitätsklinik der Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Hölkeskampring 40, 44625, Herne, Deutschland.

Introduction: In Germany approximately 70,000-100,000 SCD patients die from sudden cardiac death (SCD). SCD is not caused by a single factor but is a multifactorial problem. In 50 % of SCD victims, sudden cardiac death is the first manifestation of heart disease. Read More

Med Intensiva 2016 Mar 29;40(2):75-83. Epub 2015 Nov 29.

Departamento de Enfermería I, Escuela Universitaria de Enfermería, Universidad del País Vasco, Leioa, Vizcaya, España.

Aim: To explore the training, ability and attitudes towards cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of automatic defibrillators among the population of the Basque Country (Spain).

Design: A face-to-face survey.

Scope: Capital cities of the Basque Country. Read More

J Am Heart Assoc 2015 Oct 9;4(10):e002185. Epub 2015 Oct 9.

Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Sarver Heart Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (K.B.K.).

Background: Targeted automated external defibrillator (AED) programs have improved survival rates among patients who have an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in US airports, as well as European and Japanese railways. The Sao Paulo (Brazil) Metro subway carries 4.5 million people per day. Read More

Rev Esc Enferm USP 2015 Aug;49(4):657-64

Escola de Enfermagem, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, BR.

Objective: To evaluate the skills and knowledge of undergraduate students in the health area on cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers with the use of an automatic external defibrillator.

Method: The evaluation was performed in three different stages of the teaching-learning process. A theoretical and practical course was taught and the theoretical classes included demonstration. Read More

Lakartidningen 2015 Aug 4;112. Epub 2015 Aug 4.

Länssjukhuset - Medicin/kardiologi Kalmar, Sweden Länssjukhuset - Medicin/kardiologi Kalmar, Sweden.

Automated external defibrillators (AED) have become an important part of the »the chain of survival« in case of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), where early defibrillation is lifesaving. The American Heart Association demands that AEDs have a specificity of >99 % to recognize normal sinus rhythm and >95 % for the other non-shockable rhythms. Reports on their performance in the field are scarce. Read More

Circ Res 2015 Jun;116(12):2041-9

From the Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (K.D.P., H.R.H.); Departments of Radiology and Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD (H.R.H.); and Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia (L.B.B.).

The modern treatment of cardiac arrest is an increasingly complex medical procedure with a rapidly changing array of therapeutic approaches designed to restore life to victims of sudden death. The 2 primary goals of providing artificial circulation and defibrillation to halt ventricular fibrillation remain of paramount importance for saving lives. They have undergone significant improvements in technology and dissemination into the community subsequent to their establishment 60 years ago. Read More

Heart 2015 Aug 22;101(16):1272-8. Epub 2015 May 22.

Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine, Institute of Cardiology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.

Nowadays several diagnostic tools are available to investigate cardiovascular symptoms like palpitations, dizziness and syncope: ECG Holter (or ambulatory ECG, AECG), external and implantable event/loop recorders. Despite this technological burden, many diagnoses are still missed. In the meantime, we are facing an increasing use of implantable devices for cardiac pacing/defibrillation (CIED), which have rapidly evolved from simple pacing/shock boxes to devices including several diagnostic features. Read More

Resuscitation 2015 Jul 6;92:101-6. Epub 2015 May 6.

Center for Resuscitation Science, Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) strikes over 40,000 people in the public environment annually in the U.S., but despite evidence-based interventions such as prompt CPR and defibrillation, less than 25% of patients survive public SCA events. Read More

Trends Cardiovasc Med 2016 Jan 4;26(1):23-33. Epub 2015 Apr 4.

Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL.

Recent advances in the field of sudden cardiac death (SCD) include the recognition that 50% of SCD occurs as initial presentation of any heart disease and that many of these individuals may have been considered to be low risk. The presenting dysrhythmia in patients with cardiac arrests has changed over time such that pulseless electrical activity and asystole is more frequently encountered as compared with ventricular tachyarrhythmias. While the use of implantable defibrillators has been a tremendous advance in patients at risk for ventricular tachyarrhythmias, the use of automatic external defibrillators and wearable defibrillators is a recent advance that allows for potential SCD prevention in more patients. Read More

Heart 2015 Jun 29;101(12):967-71. Epub 2015 Apr 29.

South Central Ambulance Service, Otterbourne, UK NIHR Respiratory BRU, University Hospital Southampton, Southampton, UK.

Introduction: Growing numbers of public access defibrillators aim to improve the effectiveness of bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation prior to ambulance arrival. In the UK, however, public access defibrillators are only deployed successfully in 1.7% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests. Read More

Circulation 2015 May 11;131(18):1546-54. Epub 2015 Mar 11.

From Université Paris Descartes, France (E.M., W.B., M.T., N.K., L.L., F.B., G.B., A.H., J.-Y.L.H., M.D., F.D., C.S., A.C., X.J.); Paris Cardiovascular Research Center (PARCC-Inserm U970), France (E.M., W.B., M.T., N.K., L.L., F.B., G.B., F.D., C.S., A.C., X.J.); Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Département de Cardiologie, Paris, France (E.M., N.K., A.H., J.-Y.L.H., M.D., C.S., X.J.); Département de Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France (W.B., A.C.); Service Médical d'Urgence-Brigade de Sapeurs-Pompiers de Paris, France (D.J., H.D., J.-P.T.); Service d'Aide Médicale Urgente de Paris (SAMU 75), France (L.L.); Atelier d'Urbanisme Parisien, Paris, France (P.P.); Département des Urgences, Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France (F.D.); and Sydney Medical School, Australia (D.S.C.).

Background: Although the benefits of automatic external defibrillators are undeniable, their effectiveness could be dramatically improved. One of the key issues is the disparity between the locations of automatic external defibrillators and sudden cardiac arrests (SCAs).

Methods And Results: From emergency medical services and other Parisian agencies, data on all SCAs occurring in public places in Paris, France, were prospectively collected between 2000 and 2010 and recorded using 2020 grid areas. Read More

Resuscitation 2015 Jul 24;92:137-40. Epub 2015 Feb 24.

San Francisco VA Medical Center, Simulation Laboratory, 4150 Clement St., San Francisco, CA 94121, United States.

Background: Cardiovascular disease and sudden cardiac arrest are the leading causes of death in the United States. Early defibrillation is key to successful resuscitation for patients who experience shockable rhythms during a cardiac arrest. It is therefore vital that the shock advisory of AEDs (automated external defibrillators) or defibrillators in AED mode be reliable and appropriate. Read More

Resuscitation 2015 Apr 22;89:25-30. Epub 2015 Jan 22.

Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Faculty of Science and Technology, University of Stavanger, 4036 Stavanger, Norway.

Aim: Chest compression artefacts impede a reliable rhythm analysis during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). These artefacts are not present during ventilations in 30:2 CPR. The aim of this study is to prove that a fully automatic method for rhythm analysis during ventilation pauses in 30:2 CPR is reliable an accurate. Read More

J Pediatr Health Care 2015 May-Jun;29(3):233-42. Epub 2015 Jan 7.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to present findings of a literature review examining the use of automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) for student athletes experiencing sudden cardiac arrest and variances in state legislation regarding the mandatory placement of AEDs in school gymnasiums and athletic fields.

Methods: A broad search of computerized databases was conducted utilizing PubMed, Medline, CINHAHL, and the Cochrane Databases, which provided a broad but not exhaustive review of the current literature related to student athletes, sudden cardiac death, and the use of AEDs. The articles were evaluated and graded using Stetler's strength of evidence guidelines. Read More

Ugeskr Laeger 2014 Sep;176(36)

Hjertemedicinsk Afdeling B, Odense Universitetshospital, Sdr. Boulevard 29, 5000 Odense C.

International guidelines recommend monitoring the outcome following in-hospital cardiac arrest. Using data from automatic external defibrillators (AED) prospectively collected during a three-year period in a regional hospital, we evaluated the treatment quality of resuscitation. Time to defibrillation was acceptable, but quality of chest compressions did not comply with current international recommendations. Read More

J Electrocardiol 2014 Nov-Dec;47(6):798-803. Epub 2014 Aug 2.

Advanced Algorithm Research Center, Philips Healthcare, Andover, MA.

Defibrillation is often required to terminate a ventricular fibrillation or fast ventricular tachycardia rhythm and resume a perfusing rhythm in sudden cardiac arrest patients. Automated external defibrillators rely on automatic ECG analysis algorithms to detect the presence of shockable rhythms before advising the rescuer to deliver a shock. For a reliable rhythm analysis, chest compression must be interrupted to prevent corruption of the ECG waveform due to the artifact induced by the mechanical activity of compressions. Read More

Anaesthesist 2014 Sep;63(8-9):636-42

Deutsches Zentrum für Notfallmedizin & Informationstechnologie, DENIT, Fraunhofer IESE, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Deutschland,

Background: Provision of medical care is an important element of safety precautions for visitors of sports arenas. The organizational requirements are especially high if cardiac arrest occurs; how this scenario is managed may thus serve as the ultimate indicator of the quality of stadium medical care. The objectives of this study were to analyze the structures and the resources available for the medical care of spectators in German professional soccer stadiums and to identify the frequency and the primary resuscitation success of cardiac arrest. Read More

Cardiovasc Revasc Med 2014 Jun 19;15(4):233-4. Epub 2014 Mar 19.

Cardiology Dept., Hadassah University Hospital, Jerusalem, Israel.

Sudden Cardiac Death--SCD --is a major unmet health problem that needs urgent and prompt solution. AICDs are very expensive, risky and indicated for a small group of patients, at the highest risk. AEDs--Automatic External Defibrillators--are designed for public places and although safe, cannot enter the home-market due to their cost and need for constant, high-cost maintenance. Read More

Dtsch Med Wochenschr 2014 Mar 19;139(13):638-40. Epub 2014 Mar 19.

Klinik III für Innere Medizin, Herzzentrum der Uniklinik Köln, Köln.

History: A 65-year-old man collapsed after he stepped out of his car after a traffic accident.

Treatment: Fortunately, two police officers on a routine patrol in the area were quickly on the scene and started cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A passerby noticed that the patient was in distress and that an automatic defibrillator was nearby. Read More

Eur J Emerg Med 2014 Aug;21(4):281-3

Departments of aEmergency Medicine bInternal Medicine cEmergency Medical Services and Prehospital Care Program, American University of Beirut Medical Center, Beirut, Lebanon.

Background: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is used to evaluate the performance of the emergency medical service (EMS) system. Our study examined the characteristics and outcomes of OHCA cases presenting to a tertiary care center in Beirut, Lebanon.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of all adult OHCA patients admitted to the emergency department (ED) over a 3-year period was carried out. Read More

Anasthesiol Intensivmed Notfallmed Schmerzther 2013 Sep 18;48(9):552-6. Epub 2013 Sep 18.

Sudden cardiac arrest is a major contributor to avoidable deaths in Europe. Immediate start of basic life support (BLS) by laypersons is among the most successful strategies in the treatment of cardiac arrest patients. Despite the fact that more than half of all cardiac arrests in Germany are witnessed by a bystander, only in one fifth of all arrests layperson resuscitation is initiated. Read More

Eur Heart J 2013 Aug 31;34(29):2230-42. Epub 2013 May 31.

University of Rochester Medical Center, Heart Research Follow-up Program, Box 653, 265 Crittenden Blvd. Rochester, NY 14620, USA.

The benefit of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy depends upon appropriate evaluation of a persisting risk of sudden death and estimation of the patient's overall survival. Assessment of a stable and unchangeable arrhythmogenic substrate is often difficult. Structural abnormality and ventricular dysfunction, the two major risk parameters, may recover, and heart failure symptoms can improve so that ICD therapy may not be indicated. Read More