Bystander use of automated external defibrillators in the Spanish autonomous community of the Principality of Asturias in 2012-2014.

On-site bystander use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) was analized in Asturias, Spain, between January 2012 and December 2014. Hospital management and neurologic state on discharge were also studied. Our retrospective observational population-based design had 3 phases comrpising: 1) a telephone survey of facilities with onsite public-access AEDsc, 2) analysis of relevant case records held by the Asturian emergency medical service, and 3) analysis of relevant hospital case records. Thirteen cases of AED use by bystanders were found. Eleven patients (84.5%) had initial shockable rhythms. Three patients (23%) died before reaching the hospital, 1 (7.6%) died in hospital, and 9 (69.2%) survived. All of the survivors had a shockable rhythm and all had a score of 1 on the Cerebral Performance Category scale on discharge. Eight of the 10 patients who were alive on arrival at the hospital were treated with primary angioplasty; therapeutic hypothermia was applied in 3 cases. The mean (SD) hospital stay of survivors was 9.4 (4.88) days. We conclude that bystander use of an AED notably improves survival in out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest, probably related to shortening the delay in starting defibrillation.