title: Surviving out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: just a matter of defibrillators?
abstract: Out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest (OHCA) is a leading cause of death all over the world. Although the outcome of OHCA resulting from 'nonshockable' rhythms (asystole and pulseless electrical activity) is poor regardless of resuscitation efforts, 'shockable' rhythms such as ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation may carry a good prognosis if early defibrillation is performed. At present, simplified cardiopulmonary resuscitation techniques (hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and automated external defibrillators (AEDs) offer lay people the possibility to provide lifesaving treatment to OHCA victims in the critical minutes before the arrival of the emergency medical system. Programs aimed at increasing provision of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use of AEDs by lay people have been set up in different countries, including Italy, and have contributed to improve survival rates. However, success of these programs critically depends on appropriate planning and design, and on cultural predisposition of witnesses to undertake immediate measures of resuscitation in the case of OHCA. Placement of a large number of AEDs may carry high costs and little benefits if it is uncoordinated and not preceded by educational campaigns to spread widely the 'culture of resuscitation' in the population.
authors.affiliation: aDivision of Cardiology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padova bEmergency Department, University Hospital of Padova cDivision of Pathology, Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zorzi
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Gasparetto
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Stella
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bortoluzzi
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cacciavillani
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Basso
mesh_terms: D001294:Attitude to Health; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D047548:Defibrillators / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D005060:Europe; D005392:First Aid / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D058687:Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*