A Call to Action to Improve Cardiac Arrest Outcomes: A Report From the National Summit for Cardiac Arrest.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) represents a major cause of premature mortality globally, with enormous impact and financial cost to victims, families, and communities. SCA prevention should be considered a health priority in Australia. National Cardiac Arrest Summits were held in June 2022 and March 2023, with inclusion from multi-faceted endeavours related to SCA prevention.

One-year quality-of-life outcomes of cardiac arrest survivors by initial defibrillation provider.

Objective: To assess the long-term functional and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) outcomes for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survivors stratified by initial defibrillation provider.

Methods: This retrospective study included adult non-traumatic OHCA with initial shockable rhythms between 2010 and 2019. Survivors at 12 months after arrest were invited to participate in structured telephone interviews.

A binational survey of smartphone activated volunteer responders for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: Availability, interventions, and post-traumatic stress.

Background: Responder smartphone apps use global positioning data to enable emergency medical services to alert volunteer responders of nearby potential out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA).

Aim: To assess volunteer availability, interventions provided and frequency of probable post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) experienced by responders receiving a smartphone alert.

Methods: A web-based survey was emailed to alerted responders at week-two post-alert and a PTSD screening survey at week-six, in Victoria, Australia (1/08/2019-8/11/2020), and in New Zealand (18/02/2020-28/10/2020).

Cardiac arrests in general practice clinics or witnessed by emergency medical services: a 20-year retrospective study.

Objective: To compare the frequency and outcomes of cardiac arrests in general practice clinics with those of paramedic-witnessed cardiac arrests.

Design, Setting: Retrospective study; analysis of Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry data, 1 January 2000 - 30 December 2019.

Participants: Patients with non-traumatic cardiac arrests whom emergency medical services staff attempted to resuscitate.

Comparison of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests Occurring in Schools and Other Public Locations: A 12-Year Retrospective Study.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) in schools and universities are uncommon. However, these institutions must plan and prepare for such events to ensure the best outcomes. To evaluate their preparedness we assessed baseline characteristics, survival outcomes and 12-year trends for OHCA in schools/universities compared to other public locations.

The impact of bystander relation and medical training on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes.

Aim: In this study, we investigate the impact of bystander relation and medical training on survival to hospital discharge in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients receiving bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on non-traumatic OHCA patients receiving bystander CPR and Emergency Medical Service (EMS) attempted resuscitation from 2015 through 2017. Adjusted logistic regression was used to assess the association between related versus unrelated and layperson versus medically trained bystander CPR providers and survival to hospital discharge.

Variations in the care of agitated patients in Australia and New Zealand ambulance services.

Objective: The objective of the present study is to examine variations in paramedic care of the agitated patient, including verbal de-escalation, physical restraint and sedation, provided by ambulance services in Australia and New Zealand.

Methods: To examine the care of agitated patients, we first identified and reviewed all clinical practice guidelines for the management of agitated patients in Australian and New Zealand ambulance services between September and November 2018. We then conducted a structured questionnaire to obtain further information on the training, assessment and care of agitated patients by the ambulance services.

Coles and Woolworths have installed public access defibrillators in all their stores: It is time other Australian businesses followed their lead.

We welcome the recent announcement by Coles and Woolworths that public access defibrillators (PADs) are now available in their stores, as early defibrillation with PADs is associated with significantly increased survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs). From 2008 to 2018 there were 120 OHCAs in Victorian supermarkets, overall 26.6% survived; however, when defibrillated by a PAD 66.

Trends in survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrests defibrillated by paramedics, first responders and bystanders.

Background: Although survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is increasing, little is known about the long-term trends in survival for patients defibrillated by first responders and bystanders.

Methods: Between 2000 and 2017, we included adult non-traumatic OHCA with an initial shockable rhythm from the Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry. Adjusted logistic regression analyses were used to assess trends in survival to hospital discharge according to whether the patient was initially shocked by paramedics, first responders or bystanders.