title: Treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Ljubljana: outcome report according to the 'Utstein' style.
abstract: We investigated survival of patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Ljubljana according to the 'Utstein' style. Ljubljana consists of urban, suburban and semi-rural communities which encompass an area of 1615 km2 with 397306 residents. The area is served by a single response emergency medical system and local family practitioners. Between January 1, 1995 and December 31, 1997 cardiac arrest was confirmed in 966 patients. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was attempted in 454 patients (47%). Collapse of presumed cardiac etiology (337 patients) was either bystander-witnessed (89%), un-witnessed (9%) or EMS personnel-witnessed (2%). Asystole was documented in 55%, ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia in 36% and other non-perfusing rhythms in 9% of these patients. Lay-bystander basic life support was performed in 19%. Nineteen patients (5.6%) survived to hospital discharge and 12 of them were independent in daily life. The survival of subgroups with bystanders-witnessed collapse and bystanders-witnessed ventricular fibrillation was 6.4 and 13%, respectively. Collapse of non-cardiac etiology (117 patients) was preceded by either respiratory failure (41), politrauma (22), circulatory shock (19), cerebrovascular incident (ten), intoxication (nine), strangulation (seven), electrocution (five) or drowning (four patients). Only five patients (4.2%) survived to hospital discharge. Hospital treatment of patients after successful initial cardiopulmonary resuscitation was associated with high mortality and required considerable resources.
authors.affiliation: Center for Intensive Internal Medicine, University Medical Center, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tadel
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Horvat
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Noc
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000402:Airway Obstruction / Q000453:epidemiology; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000453:epidemiology; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D004332:Drowning / Q000453:epidemiology; D004556:Electric Injuries / Q000453:epidemiology; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008020:Life Support Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000453:epidemiology; D010351:Patient Discharge / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000453:epidemiology; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012769:Shock / Q000453:epidemiology; D017524:Slovenia / Q000453:epidemiology; D018881:Suburban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015996:Survival Rate; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014504:Urban Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology