title: Cardiac arrest caused by acute intoxication-insight from a registry.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to evaluate the epidemiology and outcome after cardiac arrest caused by intoxication.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of 1991 to 2010 medical record of patients experiencing cardiac arrest caused by self-inflicted, intentional intoxication was performed. The setting was an emergency department of a tertiary care university hospital. The primary end point was the presentation of epidemiologic data in relation to favorable neurologic outcome, defined as cerebral performance categories 1 or 2 and 180-day survival. Furthermore, the patients were subdivided into a single-substance and polysubstance group, depending on the substances causing the intoxication.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 3644 patients admitted to our department, 99 (2.7%) with a median age of 26 (interquartile range, 19-42) years (37% female) were included. Cardiac arrest was witnessed in 62 cases (63%). Eleven patients (11%) received basic life support by bystanders, and 11 (11%) had a shockable rhythm in the initial electrocardiogram. The combined end point "good survival" was achieved by 34 patients (34%). Cardiac arrest occurred out of hospital in 73 patients (74%) and in-hospital in 26 patients (26%). A single substance causing the intoxication was found in 56 patients (56%). Opiates were the leading substance, with 25 patients (25%) using them.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Cardiac arrest caused by intoxication is found predominately in young patients. Overall, favorable neurologic survival was achieved in 34%. Opiate-related cardiac arrest was associated with poor survival and a high incidence of neurologic deficits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, General Hospital Vienna, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hörburger
authors.forename: Istepan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kurkciyan
authors.forename: Fritz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sterz
authors.forename: Andres
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schober
authors.forename: Mathias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stöckl
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stratil
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Uray
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Testori
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Weiser
authors.forename: Moritz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haugk
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000506:poisoning; D005260:Female; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D011041:Poisoning / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D012042:Registries / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid