Age-specific prognostication after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest - The ethical dilemma between 'life-sustaining treatment' and 'the right to die' in the elderly.

Background: While prognostic values on survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have been well investigated, less attention has been paid to their age-specific relevance. Therefore, we aimed to identify suitable age-specific early prognostication in elderly patients suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in order to reduce the burden of unnecessary treatment and harm.

Methods: In a prospective population-based observational trial on individuals suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, a total of 2223 patients receiving resuscitation attempts by the local emergency medical service in Vienna, Austria, were enrolled.

Editor's Choice-Progress in the chain of survival and its impact on outcomes of patients admitted to a specialized high-volume cardiac arrest center during the past two decades.

Aim: Cardiac arrest (CA) is still associated with high mortality and morbidity. Data on the changes in management and outcomes over a long period of time are limited. Using data from a single emergency department (ED), we assessed changes over two decades.

Mechanical chest compression does not seem to improve outcome after out-of hospital cardiac arrest. A single center observational trial.

Aim: Recently three large post product placement studies, comparing mechanical chest compression (cc) devices to those who received manual cc, found equivalent outcome results for both groups. Thus the question arises whether those results could be replicated using the devices on a daily routine.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 948 patients over a 12 months period.

Strategic target temperature management in myocardial infarction--a feasibility trial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the feasibility of a combined cooling strategy started out of hospital as an adjunctive to percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in the treatment of ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (STE-ACS).

Design: Non-randomised, single-centre feasibility trial.

Setting: Department of emergency medicine of a tertiary-care facility, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.