Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Evaluation of one year of activity in Saint-Etienne's emergency medical system using the Utstein style.
OBJECTIVE
To provide researchers with a description of the method of dealing with out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, and the results thereof, using the Utstein style.


METHODS
a series of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests between 1 October 1991 and 31 September 1992.


METHODS
a French 'departement' (administrative subdivision).


METHODS
570,000 inhabitants; area: 2600 km2; emergency medical system consisting of two levels of response: the Emergency and Resuscitation Mobile Unit and the Fire Service.


METHODS
a sample of 380 patients found to have neither palpable pulse nor independent respiration.


RESULTS
of the 234 (61%) patients in whom resuscitation was attempted, 41 (17%) were hospitalised and 12 (5%) discharged were still alive at 1 year follow-up. Of the patients who showed signs of cardiac arrest of cardiac aetiology, classified as having initial ventricular fibrillation (VF) rhythms: 62% of the cases (5/8) were alive at 1 year if the cardiac arrest occurred in the presence of emergency medical personnel; 6% of the cases (2/31) were alive at 1 year if the cardiac arrest occurred in the presence of non-specialised bystanders.
Giraud
F
F
Service d'Aide Médicale Urgente, Hôpital de Bellevue, Saint-Etienne, France.
Rascle
C
C
Guignand
M
M
D000552:Ambulances; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D005260:Female; D005392:First Aid; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome