Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors need both cardiological and neurological rehabilitation!

Purpose Of Review: Most survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) suffer from cardiologic symptoms and approximately half of them experience cognitive problems because of hypoxic brain damage. Symptoms of anxiety and depression are also common. This review aims to give an overview of recent literature on rehabilitation treatment aiming at improvement of quality of life after OHCA.

The impact of cardiac arrest on the long-term wellbeing and caregiver burden of family caregivers: a prospective cohort study.

Objective: The purpose was to gain insight in the functioning of caregivers of cardiac arrest survivors at 12 months after a cardiac arrest. Secondly, the course of the wellbeing of the caregivers during the first year was studied. Finally, factors that are associated with a higher care burden at 12 months after the cardiac arrest were investigated.

Early neurologically focused follow-up after cardiac arrest is cost-effective: A trial-based economic evaluation.

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of an early intervention service for cardiac arrest survivors called 'Stand still …, and move on' from a societal perspective.

Intervention: This concise nursing intervention consists of screening for cognitive and emotional problems, information provision and support, self-management promotion, and further referral if necessary. Earlier research confirmed the feasibility of the intervention and its effectiveness in improving emotional functioning and quality of life.

European Resuscitation Council and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine 2015 guidelines for post-resuscitation care.

The European Resuscitation Council and the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine have collaborated to produce these post-resuscitation care guidelines, which are based on the 2015 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Science with Treatment Recommendations. Recent changes in post-resuscitation care include: (a) greater emphasis on the need for urgent coronary catheterisation and percutaneous coronary intervention following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest of likely cardiac cause; (b) targeted temperature management remains important but there is now an option to target a temperature of 36 °C instead of the previously recommended 32-34 °C; (c) prognostication is now undertaken using a multimodal strategy and there is emphasis on allowing sufficient time for neurological recovery and to enable sedatives to be cleared; (d) increased emphasis on rehabilitation after survival from a cardiac arrest.

Early neurologically-focused follow-up after cardiac arrest improves quality of life at one year: A randomised controlled trial.

Background: Survivors of a cardiac arrest frequently have cognitive and emotional problems and their quality of life is at risk. We developed a brief nursing intervention to detect cognitive and emotional problems, provide information and support, promote self-management, and refer them to specialised care if necessary. This study examined its effectiveness.

'Stand still …, and move on' , an early neurologically-focused follow-up for cardiac arrest survivors and their caregivers: a process evaluation.

Background: A cardiac arrest can lead to hypoxic-ischaemic brain injury which can result in cognitive and emotional impairments and may negatively affect daily functioning, participation in society and quality of life. Furthermore, the impact on the family of the patient can be high. We designed an intervention called 'Stand still …, and move on', which is a concise, individualised, semi-structured intervention for survivors of cardiac arrest and their caregivers, consisting of between one and six face-to-face consultations provided by a trained nurse.

The role of deliberate practice in the acquisition of clinical skills.

Background: The role of deliberate practice in medical students' development from novice to expert was examined for preclinical skill training.

Methods: Students in years 1-3 completed 34 Likert type items, adapted from a questionnaire about the use of deliberate practice in cognitive learning. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability analysis were used to validate the questionnaire.

'Stand still ... , and move on', a new early intervention service for cardiac arrest survivors and their caregivers: rationale and description of the intervention.

Unlabelled: This series of articles for rehabilitation in practice aims to cover a knowledge element of the rehabilitation medicine curriculum. Nevertheless they are intended to be of interest to a multidisciplinary audience. The competency addressed in this article is 'The trainee demonstrates a knowledge of diagnostic approaches for specific impairments including cognitive dysfunction as a result of cardiac arrest.

Determinants of quality of life in survivors of cardiac arrest.

Objective: To study factors related to quality of life after a hypoxic period due to cardiac arrest.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Subjects: Eighty-eight survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, admitted to a Dutch academic hospital between 2001 and 2006.

Cognitive impairments in survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a systematic review.

Objective: To describe the current evidence on the frequency and nature of cognitive impairments in survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Design: Systematic review.

Data Sources: Pubmed, Embase, PsychInfo and Cinahl (1980-2006).

Activity and Life After Survival of a Cardiac Arrest (ALASCA) and the effectiveness of an early intervention service: design of a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Cardiac arrest survivors may experience hypoxic brain injury that results in cognitive impairments which frequently remain unrecognised. This may lead to limitations in daily activities and participation in society, a decreased quality of life for the patient, and a high strain for the caregiver. Publications about interventions directed at improving quality of life after survival of a cardiac arrest are scarce.

Life after survival: long-term daily life functioning and quality of life of patients with hypoxic brain injury as a result of a cardiac arrest.

Objectives: To determine the level of daily functioning and quality of life of patients with hypoxic brain injury after a cardiac arrest and to investigate the predictive value of the duration of coma and post-traumatic amnesia in long-term functioning.

Design: A retrospective cohort study.

Setting: A Dutch rehabilitation centre.