7 Dispatch of fire-fighters and police officers in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a nationwide prospective cohort trial

• Published in: BMJ open 2017-01, Vol.7 (Suppl 3), p.A3-A3
• Main Authors: Hasselqvist-Axe, I, Nordberg, P, Herlitz, J, Svensson, L, Jonsson, M, Lindqvist, J, Ringh, M, Claesson, A, Björklund, J, Andersson, JO, Ericson, C, Lindblad, P, Engerström, L, Rosenqvist, M, Hollenberg, J
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ambulance services; Automation; Cardiac arrest; Cardiopulmonary resuscitation; Clinical outcomes; CPR; Defibrillators; Firefighters; First aid; Heart attacks; Police
• ISSN: 2044-6055
• DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017-EMSabstracts.7

AimDual dispatch of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) -trained fire-fighters or police officers equipped with automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in addition to emergency medical services (EMS) in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has in some minor cohort studies been associated with improved survival. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between dual dispatch and survival in OHCA at a national level.MethodsThis prospective, cohort study was conducted January 1st, 2012, to December 31st, 2014. OHCA victims in nine Swedish counties covered by dual dispatch and resuscitation by first responders and EMSs were compared with a propensity-matched contemporary control group of OHCA victims in 12 counties where only EMS were dispatched. The primary outcome was survival to 30 days.Results8698 OHCA were included of which 2786 in each group (intervention and control) were matched. The median time from emergency call to arrival of EMSs or first responder was nine minutes in the intervention group vs. ten minutes in the controls (p