Women have lower chances than men to be resuscitated and survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

AIMS: Previous studies on sex differences in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) had limited scope and yielded conflicting results. We aimed to provide a comprehensive overall view on sex differences in care utilization, and outcome of OHCA. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a population-based cohort-study, analysing all emergency medical service (EMS) treated resuscitation attempts in one province of the Netherlands (2006-2012). We calculated odds ratios (ORs) for the association of sex and chance of a resuscitation attempt by EMS, shockable initial rhythm (SIR), and in-hospital treatment using logistic regression analysis. Additionally, we provided an overview of sex differences in overall survival and survival at successive stages of care, in the entire study population and in patients with SIR. We identified 5717 EMS-treated OHCAs (28.0% female). Women with OHCA were less likely than men to receive a resuscitation attempt by a bystander (67.9% vs. 72.7%; P < 0.001), even when OHCA was witnessed (69.2% vs. 73.9%; P < 0.001). Women who were resuscitated had lower odds than men for overall survival to hospital discharge [OR 0.57; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.48-0.67; 12.5% vs. 20.1%; P < 0.001], survival from OHCA to hospital admission (OR 0.88; 95% CI 0.78-0.99; 33.6% vs. 36.6%; P = 0.033), and survival from hospital admission to discharge (OR 0.49, 95% CI 0.40-0.60; 33.1% vs. 51.7%). This was explained by a lower rate of SIR in women (33.7% vs. 52.7%; P < 0.001). After adjustment for resuscitation parameters, female sex remained independently associated with lower SIR rate. CONCLUSION: In case of OHCA, women are less often resuscitated by bystanders than men. When resuscitation is attempted, women have lower survival rates at each successive stage of care. These sex gaps are likely explained by lower rate of SIR in women, which can only partly be explained by resuscitation characteristics.

Minimizing pre- and post-shock pauses during the use of an automatic external defibrillator by two different voice prompt protocols. A randomized controlled trial of a bundle of measures.

BACKGROUND: Previous large retrospective analyses have found an association between duration of peri-shock pauses in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and survival. In a randomized trial, we tested whether shortening these pauses improves survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). METHODS: Patients with OHCA between May 2006 and January 2014 with shockable initial rhythm, treated by first responders, were randomized to two automated external defibrillator (AED) treatment protocols. In the control protocol AEDs performed post-shock analysis and prompted rescuers to a pulse check (Guidelines 2000). In the experimental protocol a 15s period of CPR during and after charging of the AED was added to the voice prompts and CPR was resumed immediately after defibrillation (modification of the Guidelines 2005). Survival was assessed at hospital admission and discharge. RESULTS: Of 1174 OHCA patients, 456 met the inclusion criteria: 227 were randomly assigned to the experimental protocol and 229 to the control protocol. The experimental group experienced shorter pre-shock pauses (6 [5-11]s vs. 20 [18-23]s; P<0.001), and shorter post-shock pauses (7 [6-9]s vs. 27 [16-34]s; P<0.001). Similar proportions of patients survived to hospital admission (experimental: 62% vs. CONTROL: 65%; RR [95%CI] 0.96 [0.83-1.10], P=0.51), and hospital discharge (experimental: 42% vs. CONTROL: 38%; RR [95%CI] 1.09 [0.87-1.37], P=0.46). CONCLUSION: In patients with OHCA and shockable initial rhythms, treatment with AEDs with the experimental protocol shortened pre-shock and post-shock CPR pauses, and increased overall CPR time, but did not improve survival to hospital admission or discharge. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: http://www.isrctn.com unique identifier: ISRCTN72257677.

Exercise-related out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the general population: incidence and prognosis.

AIMS: Although regular physical activity has beneficial cardiovascular effects, exercise can trigger an acute cardiac event. We aimed to determine the incidence and prognosis of exercise-related out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in the general population. METHODS AND RESULTS: We prospectively collected all OHCAs in persons aged 10-90 years from January 2006 to January 2009 in the Dutch province North Holland. The relation between exercise during or within 1 h before OHCA and outcome was analysed using multivariable logistic regression, adjusted for age, gender, location, bystander witness, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillator (AED) use, initial rhythm, and Emergency Medical System response time. Of 2524 OHCAs, 143 (5.7%) were exercise related (7 ≤35 years, 93% men). Exercise-related OHCA incidence was 2.1 per 100 000 person-years overall and 0.3 per 100 000 person-years in those ≤35 years. Survival after exercise-related OHCA was distinctly better than after non-exercise related OHCA (46.2 vs. 17.2%) [unadjusted odds ratio (OR) 4.12; 95%CI 2.92-5.82; P < 0.001], even after adjustment for abovementioned variables (OR 2.63; 95%CI, 1.23-5.54; P = 0.01). In the 69 victims aged ≤35 years, exercise was not associated with better survival: 14.3 vs. 17.7% in non-exercise-related OHCA (OR 0.77; 95%CI 0.08-7.08; P = 0.82). CONCLUSION: Exercise-related OHCA has a low incidence, particularly in the young. Cardiac arrests occurring during or shortly after exercise carry a markedly better prognosis than non-exercise-related arrests in persons >35 years. This study establishes the favourable outcome of exercise-related OHCA and should have direct implications for public health programs to prevent exercise-related sudden death.

Sudden cardiac arrest associated with use of a non-cardiac drug that reduces cardiac excitability: evidence from bench, bedside, and community.

AIMS: Non-cardiac drugs that impair cardiac repolarization (electrocardiographic QT prolongation) are associated with an increased sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) risk. Emerging evidence suggests that non-cardiac drugs that impair cardiac depolarization and excitability (electrocardiographic QRS prolongation) also increase the risk for SCA. Nortriptyline, which blocks the SCN5A-encoded cardiac sodium channel, may exemplify such drugs. We aimed to study whether nortriptyline increases the risk for SCA, and to establish the underlying mechanisms. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied QRS durations during rest/exercise in an index patient who experienced ventricular tachycardia during exercise while using nortriptyline, and compared them with those of 55 controls with/without nortriptyline and 24 controls with Brugada syndrome (BrS) without nortriptyline, who carried an SCN5A mutation. We performed molecular-genetic (exon-trapping) and functional (patch-clamp) experiments to unravel the mechanisms of QRS prolongation by nortriptyline and the SCN5A mutation found in the index patient. We conducted a prospective community-based study among 944 victims of ECG-documented SCA and 4354-matched controls to determine the risk for SCA associated with nortriptyline use. Multiple mechanisms may act in concert to increase the risk for SCA during nortriptyline use. Pharmacological (nortriptyline), genetic (loss-of-function SCN5A mutation), and/or functional (sodium channel inactivation at fast heart rates) factors conspire to reduce the cardiac sodium current and increase the risk for SCA. Nortriptyline use in the community was associated with a 4.5-fold increase in the risk for SCA [adjusted OR: 4.5 (95% CI: 1.1-19.5)], particularly when other sodium channel-blocking factors were present. CONCLUSIONS: Nortriptyline increases the risk for SCA in the general population, particularly in the presence of genetic and/or non-genetic factors that decrease cardiac excitability by blocking the cardiac sodium channel.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators have reduced the incidence of resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest caused by lethal arrhythmias.

BACKGROUND: Over the last decades, a gradual decrease in ventricular fibrillation (VF) as initial recorded rhythm during resuscitation for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) has been noted. We sought to establish the contribution of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy to this decline. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using a prospective database of all OHCA resuscitation in the province North Holland in the Netherlands (Amsterdam Resuscitation Studies [ARREST]), we collected data on all patients in whom resuscitation for OHCA was attempted in 2005-2008. VF OHCA incidence (per 100 000 inhabitants per year) was compared with VF OHCA incidence data during 1995-1997, collected in a similar way. We also collected ICD interrogations of all ICD patients from North Holland and identified all appropriate ICD shocks in 2005-2008; we calculated the number of prevented VF OHCA episodes, considering that only part of the appropriate shocks would result in avoided resuscitation. VF OHCA incidence decreased from 21.1/100 000 in 1995-1997 to 17.4/100 000 in 2005-2008 (P<0.001). Non-VF OHCA increased from 12.2/100 000 to 19.4/100 000 (P<0.001). VF as presenting rhythm declined from 63% to 47%. In 2005-2008, 1972 ICD patients received 977 shocks. Of these shocks, 339 were caused by a life-threatening arrhythmia. We estimate that these 339 shocks have prevented 81 (minimum, 39; maximum, 152) cases of VF OHCA, corresponding with 33% (minimum, 16%; maximum, 63%) of the observed decline in VF OHCA incidence. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence of VF OHCA decreased over the last 10 years in North Holland. ICD therapy explained a decrease of 1.2/100 000 inhabitants per year, corresponding with 33% of the observed decline in VF OHCA.

Epilepsy is a risk factor for sudden cardiac arrest in the general population.

BACKGROUND: People with epilepsy are at increased risk for sudden death. The most prevalent cause of sudden death in the general population is sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) due to ventricular fibrillation (VF). SCA may contribute to the increased incidence of sudden death in people with epilepsy. We assessed whether the risk for SCA is increased in epilepsy by determining the risk for SCA among people with active epilepsy in a community-based study. METHODS AND RESULTS: This investigation was part of the Amsterdam Resuscitation Studies (ARREST) in the Netherlands. It was designed to assess SCA risk in the general population. All SCA cases in the study area were identified and matched to controls (by age, sex, and SCA date). A diagnosis of active epilepsy was ascertained in all cases and controls. Relative risk for SCA was estimated by calculating the adjusted odds ratios using conditional logistic regression (adjustment was made for known risk factors for SCA). We identified 1019 cases of SCA with ECG-documented VF, and matched them to 2834 controls. There were 12 people with active epilepsy among cases and 12 among controls. Epilepsy was associated with a three-fold increased risk for SCA (adjusted OR 2.9 [95%CI 1.1-8.0.], p=0.034). The risk for SCA in epilepsy was particularly increased in young and females. CONCLUSION: Epilepsy in the general population seems to be associated with an increased risk for SCA.

Ventricular fibrillation hampers the restoration of creatine-phosphate levels during simulated cardiopulmonary resuscitations.

AIMS: Recurrences of ventricular fibrillation (VF) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are associated with a reduced chance of survival. The effect of VF during CPR on the myocardium is unknown. We tested the hypothesis that VF during simulated CPR reduces the restoration of the myocardial energy state and contractile function. METHODS AND RESULTS: Twelve porcine hearts were isolated and perfused with the pig's own blood. First, cardiac oxygen consumption was measured by blood gas analysis. Secondly, we simulated sudden cardiac arrest by VF (7 min VF, zero flow) followed by simulated CPR (7 min, 0.3 mL/g/min perfusion rate) in the absence and presence of VF [six hearts were maintained in VF (VF-group), six were defibrillated (defib-group)]. The VF increased the cardiac oxygen consumption by 71% (0.87 ± 0.12 vs. 1.49 ± 0.14 µmol O2/g/min; mean ± SEM, P< 0.001) compared with a ventricular rhythm of 62 beats/min. The presence of VF during simulated CPR after 7 min of cardiac arrest hampered restoration of myocardial creatine-phosphate levels compared with defibrillated hearts (61 ± 9 vs. 87 ± 7% of baseline values, respectively; P< 0.05). The cardiac contractile function was significantly higher in the defib- than in the VF-group (area under the pressure curve 2.29 ± 0.22 vs. 1.72 ± 0.14 s×mm Hg respectively; P< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate that the cardiac oxygen consumption is increased by VF and that the presence of VF during CPR hampers the restoration of the myocardial energy state and contractility. Strategies that reduce VF duration without disrupting chest compressions will benefit the restoration of the cardiac energy state during resuscitations.

Impact of onsite or dispatched automated external defibrillator use on survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: There have been few studies on the effectiveness of bystander automated external defibrillator (AED) use in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The objective of this study was to determine whether actual use of onsite or dispatched AED reduces the time to first shock compared with no AED use and thereby improves survival. METHODS AND RESULTS: We performed a population-based cohort study of 2833 consecutive patients with a nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest before emergency medical system arrival between 2006 and 2009. The primary outcome, neurologically intact survival to discharge, was compared by use of multivariable logistic regression analysis. An onsite AED had been applied in 128 of the 2833 cases, a dispatched AED in 478, and no AED in 2227. Onsite AED use reduced the time to first shock from 11 to 4.1 minute. Neurologically intact survival was 49.6% for patients treated with an onsite AED compared with 14.3% without an AED (unadjusted odds ratio, 5.63; 95% confidence interval, 3.91-8.10). The odds ratio remained statistically significant after adjustment for confounding (odds ratio, 2.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.77-4.18). Dispatched AED use reduced the time from call to first shock to 8.5 minutes. Neurologically intact survival was 17.2% for patients treated with a dispatched AED (unadjusted odds ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 0.82-1.39). Every year, onsite AEDs saved 3.6 lives per 1 million inhabitants; dispatched AEDs saved 1.2 lives. CONCLUSIONS: The use of an onsite AED leads to a doubling of neurologically intact survival. In our system, the survival benefit of dispatched AED use was much smaller than that of onsite AED use.

Incidence, causes, and outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in children. A comprehensive, prospective, population-based study in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVES: This study sought to determine comprehensively the incidence of pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) and its contribution to total pediatric mortality, the causes of pediatric OHCA, and the outcome of resuscitation of pediatric OHCA patients. BACKGROUND: There is a paucity of complete studies on incidence, causes, and outcomes of pediatric OHCA. METHODS: In this prospective, population-based study, OHCA victims younger than age 21 years in 1 province of the Netherlands were registered through both emergency medical services and coroners over a period of 4.3 years. Death certificate data on total pediatric mortality, survival status, and neurological outcome at hospital discharge also were obtained. RESULTS: With a total mortality of 923 during the study period and 233 victims of OHCA (including 221 who died and 12 who survived), OHCA caused 24% (221 of 923) of total pediatric mortality. Natural causes of OHCA amounted to 115 (49%) cases, with cardiac causes being most prevalent (n = 90, 39%). The incidence of pediatric OHCA was 9.0 per 100,000 pediatric person-years (95% confidence interval: 7.8 to 10.3), whereas the incidence of pediatric OHCA from cardiac causes was 3.2 (95% confidence interval: 2.5 to 3.9). Of 51 resuscitated patients, 12 (24%) survived; among survivors, 10 (83%) had a neurologically intact outcome. CONCLUSIONS: Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest accounts for a significant proportion of pediatric mortality, and cardiac causes are the most prevalent causes of OHCA. The vast majority of OHCA survivors have a neurologically intact outcome.

Time in recurrent ventricular fibrillation and survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: Current resuscitation guidelines (2005 guidelines [G2005]) accelerate ventricular fibrillation (VF) recurrence. We investigated whether patients resuscitated under G2005 spend more time in VF and have better survival rates than patients treated under the 2000 guidelines (G2000). METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed continuous ECG recordings of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests prospectively collected from January 2006 to January 2008. Patients treated according to G2000 (n=282) or G2005 (n=240) with VF as initial rhythm were included. We measured the total time a patient was in recurrent VF (the sum of all intervals from each onset of recurrent VF to each next successful shock) and the time a patient was in initial VF (time interval from rescuer arrival to first effective shock). The primary outcome measure was neurologically intact survival to discharge. The median time in recurrent VF was 2.7 minutes (quartile 1 to 3, 0.4 to 9.0 minutes) under G2000 versus 4.0 minutes (quartile 1 to 3, 0.2 to 11.6 minutes) under G2005 (P=0.03). Median time in initial VF was 2.7 minutes (quartile 1 to 3, 1.7 to 4.3 minutes) versus 3.9 minutes (quartile 1 to 3, 2.3 to 6.5 minutes), respectively (P<0.001). Increased time in recurrent VF was significantly associated with decreased neurologically intact survival in both G2000 use (odds ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.87 to 0.97; P=0.001) and G2005 use (odds ratio, 0.94; 95% confidence interval, 0.90 to 0.99; P=0.02). Neurologically intact survival decreased significantly with increasing time in initial VF under G2000 (odds ratio, 0.86; 95% confidence interval, 0.74 to 0.99; P=0.04). This observation was nonexistent in patients treated under G2005. Neurologically intact survival was 29% (82 of 282) under G2000 versus 27% (65 of 240) under G2005 (P=0.61). CONCLUSIONS: With G2005, the time in recurrent VF remains associated with worse outcome. Studies of immediate defibrillation for recurrent VF are warranted.

Global incidences of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and survival rates: Systematic review of 67 prospective studies.

AIM: The aim of this investigation was to estimate and contrast the global incidence and outcome of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) to provide a better understanding of the variability in risk and survival of OHCA. METHODS: We conducted a review of published English-language articles about incidence of OHCA, available through MEDLINE and EmBase. For studies including adult patients and both adult and paediatric patients, we used Utstein data reporting guidelines to calculate, summarize and compare incidences per 100,000 person-years of attended OHCAs, treated OHCAs, treated OHCAs with a cardiac cause, treated OHCA with ventricular fibrillation (VF), and survival-to-hospital discharge rates following OHCA. RESULTS: Sixty-seven studies from Europe, North America, Asia or Australia met inclusion criteria. The weighted incidence estimate was significantly higher in studies including adults than in those including adults and paediatrics for treated OHCAs (62.3 vs 34.7; P<0.001); and for treated OHCAs with a cardiac cause (54.6 vs 40.8; P=0.004). Neither survival to discharge rates nor VF survival to discharge rates differed statistically significant among studies. The incidence of treated OHCAs was higher in North America (54.6) than in Europe (35.0), Asia (28.3), and Australia (44.0) (P<0.001). In Asia, the percentage of VF and survival to discharge rates were lower (11% and 2%, respectively) than those in Europe (35% and 9%, respectively), North America (28% and 6%, respectively), or Australia (40% and 11%, respectively) (P<0.001, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: OHCA incidence and outcome varies greatly around the globe. A better understanding of the variability is fundamental to improving OHCA prevention and resuscitation.

Survival and health care costs until hospital discharge of patients treated with onsite, dispatched or without automated external defibrillator.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to determine whether automated external defibrillator (AED) use during resuscitation is associated with lower in-hospital health care costs. METHODS: For this observational prospective study, we included all treated out-of-hospital cardiac arrests of suspected cardiac cause. Clinical, survival and cost data were collected from July 2005 until March 2008. Cost data were based on hospital transport, duration of admission in hospital wards, diagnostics and interventions. We divided the study population in three groups based on AED use: (1) onsite AED, (2) dispatched AED, (3) no AED. The endpoint was survival to discharge. P<0.05 is indicated by *. RESULTS: Of the 2126 included patients, 136 were treated with an onsite AED, 365 with a dispatched AED and 1625 without AED. Overall (95% confidence interval [CI]) survival rate was 43% (35-51%), 16% (13-20%) and 14% (12-16%), respectively*. Per 100 survivors, the mean duration admitted at intensive care unit [ICU] were 267 (166-374), 495 (344-658), and 537 (450-609) days, respectively*; total duration of hospital admission was 2188 (1800-2594), 3132 (2573-3797), and 2765 (2519-3050) days, respectively*. Mean costs per survivor for hospital stay were euro9233 (euro7351-euro11,280), euro14,194 (euro11,656-euro17,254), and euro13,693 (euro12,226-euro15,166), respectively*; total health care costs were euro29,575 (euro24,695-euro34,183), euro34,533 (euro29,832-euro39,487) and euro31,772 (euro29,217-euro34,385), respectively. For both survivors and non-survivors, total costs per patient were euro14,727 (euro11,957-euro18,324), euro7703 (euro6141-euro9366) and euro6580 (euro5875-euro7238), respectively*. CONCLUSIONS: Onsite AED use was associated with higher survival rates. Surviving patients of the onsite AED group had lower total costs, mainly due to the shorter ICU stay.

Chest compressions cause recurrence of ventricular fibrillation after the first successful conversion by defibrillation in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

BACKGROUND: Unlike Resuscitation Guidelines (GL) 2000, GL2005 advise resuming cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately after defibrillation. We hypothesized that immediate CPR resumption promotes earlier recurrence of ventricular fibrillation (VF). METHODS AND RESULTS: This study used data of a prospective per-patient randomized controlled trial. Automated external defibrillators used by first responders were randomized to either (1) perform postshock analysis and prompt rescuers to a pulse check (GL2000), or (2) resume CPR immediately after defibrillation (GL2005). Continuous recordings of ECG and impedance signals were collected from all patients with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest to whom a randomized automated external defibrillator was applied. We included patients with VF as their initial rhythm in whom CPR onset could be determined from the ECG and impedance signals. Time intervals are presented as median (Q1-to-Q3). Of 361 patients, 136 met the inclusion criteria: 68 were randomly assigned to GL2000 and 68 to GL2005. Rescuers resumed CPR 30 (21-to-39) and 8 (7-to-9) seconds, respectively, after the first shock that successfully terminated VF (P<0.001); VF recurred after 40 (21-to-76) and 21 (10-to-80) seconds, respectively (P=0.001). The time interval between start of CPR and VF recurrence was 6 (0-to-67) and 8 (3-to-61) seconds, respectively (P=0.88). The hazard ratio for VF recurrence in the first 2 seconds of CPR was 15.5 (95% confidence interval, 5.63 to 57.7) compared with before CPR resumption. After more than 8 seconds of CPR, the hazard of VF recurrence was similar to before CPR resumption. CONCLUSIONS: Early CPR resumption after defibrillation causes early VF recurrence. Clinical Trial Registration- clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: ISRCTN72257677.

Delaying a shock after takeover from the automated external defibrillator by paramedics is associated with decreased survival.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the takeover by Advanced Life Support [ALS] trained ambulance paramedics from rescuers using an automated external defibrillator [AED] delays shocks and if this delay is associated with decreased survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest [OHCA]. METHODS: We analyzed continuous ECG recordings of LIFEPAK AEDs and associated manual defibrillator recordings of OHCA of presumed cardiac cause, prospectively collected from July 2005 to July 2009. The primary outcome measure was survival to discharge. Among 693 patients treated with AEDs, 110 had a shockable initial rhythm and a shockable rhythm during ALS takeover. We measured the time interval between the expected shock if the AED would remain attached to the patient and the first observed shock given by the manual defibrillator [shock timing]. RESULTS: Survival was 62% (13/21) if the shock was given early (<-20s), 52% (11/21; odds ratio [OR]=0.68, ns) if given on time (-20 to 20s), 29% (10/34; OR=0.26, 95% confidence interval [CI]=0.08-0.81; P=0.02) if the shock was 20-150s delayed and 21% (7/34; OR=0.16, 95% CI=0.05-0.54; P=0.003) if the shock was delayed >150s. The OR for trend was 0.41, 95% CI=0.25-0.71; P=0.001. The association between shock timing and survival was significant for patients with more than 150s shock delay (OR=0.19; 95% CI=0.04-0.71; P=0.02) or for trend in shock timing (0.42, 95% CI=0.20-0.84; P=0.02) after multivariable adjustment for prognostic factors age and slope of ventricular fibrillation. CONCLUSIONS: ALS takeover delays the next shock delivery in almost two-third of cases. This delay is associated with decreased survival.

[First cracks in smoking ban in catering establishments]. / Barsten in het rookverbod in horecagelegenheden.

The first exemption to the comprehensive ban on smoking in public places in the Netherlands was made on 14 May 2009. The exemption was based on a technicality in the wording of the law, and could potentially lead to further exemptions to the smoking ban being made. The authors argue that focusing solely on the wording is a sidetrack in the main discussion. Furthermore, they argue that the smoking ban only bans smoking in public places and that the individual's right to perform actions potentially hazardous to their own health should not be limited, as long as it puts no-one else at risk. That is exactly what smoking in public places does. They also argue that other legislative measures comparable to the smoking ban are already in effect. In conclusion, the ban on smoking in public places does not remove the right to smoke, but serves to create a healthier social environment for everyone.

Time needed for a regional emergency medical system to implement resuscitation Guidelines 2005--The Netherlands experience.

INTRODUCTION: In December 2005, updated resuscitation Guidelines (G) were introduced worldwide and will be revised again in 2010. This study sought to elucidate how long it takes to implement new guidelines. METHODS: This was a prospective observational study. From July 2005 to January 2008, we included all patients with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest of suspected cardiac cause. We analyzed Emergency Medical System (EMS) Guideline usage via defibrillator recordings of the continuous ECG and impedance signals. We excluded patients with missing or otherwise unusable ECGs. All shocks and CPR cycles were individually classified. The same Guideline needed to be applied for at least 75% of all shocks and CPR cycles. If no shocks had been given, continuous ECGs were classified by its CPR status only. Continuous ECGs were classified as G1992, G2000 or G2005. If at least 75% of the shocks were given according to G2000 and at least 75% of the CPR was according to G2005, the Guideline protocol was classified as intermediate. All analyses that did not fulfil any Guideline criteria were classified as indeterminate. RESULTS: Of 1672 analyzable resuscitations, 31 (2%) used G1992, 826 (49%) G2000, 608 (36%) G2005, and 125 (7%) intermediate Guidelines. The Guideline protocol could not be identified for the remaining 81 (5%) patients. It took 17 months (from publication) until EMS personnel applied GL2005 in over 80% of cases. CONCLUSION: Our experience shows it took one-and-a-half years to effectively implement new resuscitation Guidelines. We believe improvements in implementation can shorten this to six months.

Importance of the first link: description and recognition of an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in an emergency call.

BACKGROUND: The content of emergency calls for suspected cardiac arrest is rarely analyzed. This study investigated the recognition of a cardiac arrest by dispatchers and its influence on survival rates. METHODS AND RESULTS: During 8 months, voice recordings of 14,800 consecutive emergency calls were collected to audit content and cardiac arrest recognition. The presence of cardiac arrest during the call was assessed from the ambulance crew report. Included calls were placed by laypersons on site and did not involve trauma. Prevalence of cardiac arrest was 3.0%. Of the 285 cardiac arrests, 82 (29%) were not recognized during the call, and 64 of 267 suspected calls (24%) were not cardiac arrest. We analyzed a random sample (n=506) of 9230 control calls. Three-month survival was 5% when a cardiac arrest was not recognized versus 14% when it was recognized (P=0.04). If the dispatcher did not recognize the cardiac arrest, the ambulance was dispatched a mean of 0.94 minute later (P<0.001) and arrived 1.40 minutes later on scene (P=0.01) compared with recognized calls. The main reason for not recognizing the cardiac arrest was not asking if the patient was breathing (42 of 82) and not asking to describe the type of breathing (16 of 82). Normal breathing was never mentioned in true cardiac arrest calls. A logistic regression model identified spontaneous trigger words like facial color that could contribute to cardiac arrest recognition (odds ratio, 7.8 to 9.7). CONCLUSIONS: Not recognizing a cardiac arrest during emergency calls decreases survival. Spontaneous words that the caller uses to describe the patient may aid in faster and better recognition of a cardiac arrest.