Pulseless electrical activity and unsuccessful out-of-hospital resuscitation: what is the cause of death?

Aims: To study the cause of deaths after witnessed cardiac arrest followed by pulseless electrical activity and unsuccessful of out-of-hospital resuscitation; and to detect any differences between causes of death determined at autopsy and those inferred from clinical history.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, data were collected from 91 individuals treated by the emergency medical services in three urban communities in southern Finland.

Results: Cause of death was determined at autopsy in 59 cases and without autopsy in 32 cases.