Improved Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Survival with a Comprehensive Dispatcher-Assisted CPR Program in a Developing Emergency Care System

• Published in: Prehospital emergency care 2021-11, Vol.25 (6), p.802-811
• Main Authors: Pek, Pin Pin, Lim, Jasmine Yen Yin, Leong, Benjamin Sieu-Hon, Mao, Desmond Ren-Hao, Chia, Michael Yih-Chong, Cheah, Si Oon, Gan, Han Nee, Ng, Yih Yng, Tham, Lai Peng, Arulanandam, Shalini, Shahidah, Nur, Lin, Xinyi, Ho, Andrew Fu Wah, Ong, Marcus Eng Hock
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: bystander CPR; Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; dispatcher-assisted CPR; Emergency Medical Services; Humans; out-of-hospital cardiac arrest; Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest - therapy; Registries; Survival Rate; telephone CPR
• ISSN: 1090-3127; 1545-0066
• DOI: 10.1080/10903127.2020.1846824

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is associated with poor survival. Studies have demonstrated improved survival with early bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (BCPR). This study evaluated the impact of a dispatcher-assisted CPR (DA-CPR) program on BCPR rate and outcomes of OHCA in a developing emergency medical services (EMS) system setting. Data were extracted from the national cardiac arrest registry. A before-after analysis was performed between OHCA cases with cardiac etiology conveyed by EMS from April 2010-June 2012 (pre-intervention) and July 2012-December 2015 (post-intervention). Primary outcomes were survival-to-discharge/30 days post-arrest and favorable cerebral performance (Glasgow-Pittsburgh cerebral performance categories 1 and 2). 6365 OHCA cases were analyzed with 2129 in the pre-intervention and 4236 in the post-intervention group. In the post-intervention group, there was an increase in BCPR rates from 24.8% to 53.8% (p