Failure of ambulance crew to initiate cardiopulmonary resuscitation

• Published in: Resuscitation 1995-02, Vol.29 (1), p.41-46
• Main Authors: Weston, Clive F.M., Burrell, Catherine C., Jones, Sian D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Allied Health Personnel; Ambulances; Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; Emergency and intensive cardiocirculatory care. Cardiogenic shock. Coronary intensive care; Female; Heart Arrest - therapy; Humans; Intensive care medicine; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; Utstein style of reporting
• ISSN: 0300-9572; 1873-1570
• DOI: 10.1016/0300-9572(94)00814-V

The Utstein style of reporting out-of-hospital cardiac arrests requires that all confirmed cardiac arrests considered for resuscitation are analysed and that a record is made of the number of cases where no resuscitation is attempted. We report a series of 942 confirmed cardiac arrests considered for resuscitation by South Glamorgan Emergency Medical Service (EMS). There were 370 (39.3%) cases where no resuscitation was attempted by the EMS. The ages, male/female ratio and EMS response times were similar in both the group that received ambulance resuscitation and those that did not. Those not receiving resuscitation were less likely to have had an arrest of cardiac aetiology (51.3% vs. 75%, P < 0.00001). Rigor mortis or decomposition of the body was present in 50.8% of cases and in 20% a doctor had already confirmed the patient dead. In the remainder the ambulance crew failed to start resuscitation for a variety of reasons.