title: Effectiveness of emergency response planning for sudden cardiac arrest in United States high schools with automated external defibrillators.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  US high schools are increasingly adopting automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for use in campus settings. We analyzed the effectiveness of emergency response planning for sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) in a large cohort of US high schools that had onsite AED programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A cohort of US high schools with at least 1 onsite AED was identified from the National Registry for AED Use in Sports. A school representative completed a comprehensive survey on emergency planning and provided details of any SCA incident occurring within 6 months of survey completion. Surveys were completed between December 2006 and July 2007. In total, 1710 high schools with an onsite AED program were studied. Although 83% (1428 of 1710) of schools have an established emergency response plan for SCA, only 40% practice and review the plan at least annually with potential school responders. A case of SCA was reported by 36 of 1710 schools (2.1%). The 36 SCA victims included 14 high school student athletes (mean age, 16 years; range, 14 to 17 years) and 22 older nonstudents (mean age, 57 years; range, 42 to 71 years) such as employees and spectators. No cases were reported in student nonathletes. Of the 36 SCA cases, 35 (97%) were witnessed, 34 (94%) received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and 30 (83%) received an AED shock. Twenty-three SCA victims (64%) survived to hospital discharge, including 9 of the 14 student athletes and 14 of the 22 older nonstudents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  School-based AED programs provide a high survival rate for both student athletes and older nonstudents who suffer SCA on school grounds. High schools are strongly encouraged to implement onsite AED programs as part of a comprehensive emergency response plan to SCA.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, 4245 Roosevelt Way NE, University of Washington, Box 354775, Seattle, WA 98105, USA. jdrezner@fammed.washington.edu
authors.forename: Jonathan A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Drezner
authors.forename: Ashwin L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Rao
authors.forename: Justin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Heistand
authors.forename: Megan K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Bloomingdale
authors.forename: Kimberly G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Harmon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000401:mortality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D047548:Defibrillators / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004554:Electric Countershock / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005178:Faculty / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006285:Health Planning / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012042:Registries; D012574:Schools / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013177:Sports / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology