Management and health status in the first year after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
The one-year survival, functional and cerebral capacity and patient management following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest were examined in a follow-up study of 143 prospectively identified patients discharged from a West Yorkshire hospital between January 1987 and July 1993. One-year survival was 87%; 13 of the 18 deaths were cardiac related; 89% of survivors had no further cardiac related admissions; 98% of patients surviving to one year were capable of independent daily activities. There was low utilisation of simple drug therapy: 23% of patients were discharged taking beta-blockers and 52% aspirin; 50% of patients discharged after a primary arrhythmic event were taking antiarrhythmic therapy or were given an implantable defibrillator. Irrespective of the availability of invasive cardiac facilities, there was underutilisation of investigations: only 39% of patients were seen by a cardiologist and 54% were not evaluated for ischaemic risk. Significant improvements in patient management could probably be achieved quickly without substantial increases in resources.
Batin
P D
PD
St James's University Hospital, Leeds.
Bannister
J
J
Ryder
M
M
Mackintosh
A F
AF
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006304:Health Status; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D010359:Patient Readmission; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015996:Survival Rate