Clinical experience with a low-energy pulsed biphasic waveform in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

• Published in: Resuscitation 2008-03, Vol.76 (3), p.350-353
• Main Authors: Didon, Jean-Philippe, Fontaine, Guy, White, Roger D, Jekova, Irena, Schmid, Johann-Jakob, Cansell, Albert
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Automated external defibrillator; Biological and medical sciences; Defibrillation; Defibrillators; Electric Countershock - methods; Emergency; Emergency and intensive cardiocirculatory care. Cardiogenic shock. Coronary intensive care; Emergency Medical Services; Female; France; Heart Arrest - mortality; Heart Arrest - therapy; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; Ventricular fibrillation; Ventricular Fibrillation - mortality; Ventricular Fibrillation - therapy
• ISSN: 0300-9572; 1873-1570
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2007.08.010

Summary The efficiency of a pulsed biphasic waveform (PBW) was compared with that of biphasic truncated exponential (BTE) waveforms. First defibrillation shock outcome was studied in a population of 104 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients in ventricular fibrillation as the presenting rhythm. The call to first shock time was 8.2 ± 5.4 min. At 5 s post-shock, defibrillation efficiency was 90%. The arrest was witnessed in only 50% of the patients and only 5% received bystander CPR. Despite these limitations 38% of the patients achieved restoration of a spontaneous circulation at departure from scene and 9.8% were discharged from the hospital. These observations demonstrate a rate of first shock success in termination of ventricular fibrillation comparable to that reported with biphasic truncated exponential waveforms in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.