title: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
abstract: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), with its high fatality rate, is a significant public health issue. The aetiology of OHCA is reviewed, and management strategies are discussed, including the "chain of survival", the Utstein method of data collection, and recent developments in advanced cardiac life support emphasising defibrillation.
authors.affiliation: Emergency Department, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Vic.
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: McR Meyer
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McNeil
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D002423:Cause of Death; D004554:Electric Countershock; D004632:Emergency Medical Services; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015996:Survival Rate; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy