Prognostication after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, a clinical survey
2008

Prognostication after Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Sample size: 25 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Busch Michael, Søreide Eldar

Primary Institution: Stavanger University Hospital

Hypothesis

What are the current practices for prognostication after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Norway?

Conclusion

Prognostication after cardiac arrest is primarily based on prehospital data and neurological examinations, despite the routine use of therapeutic hypothermia.

Supporting Evidence

  • 72% of ICUs conducted prognostication within 24-48 hours.
  • 100% of ICUs used clinical neurological examination as a prognostic parameter.
  • 80% of ICUs routinely used therapeutic hypothermia.

Takeaway

Doctors in Norway check how patients are doing after a heart attack outside the hospital by looking at their health before and during the emergency.

Methodology

A telephone survey of consultants in charge of 25 ICUs regarding prognostication practices.

Potential Biases

The survey's findings may not be valid outside of Norway due to the limited number of hospitals surveyed.

Limitations

Only one clinician was interviewed per institution, which may not represent general practice.

Participant Demographics

Consultants from 25 ICUs across Norway, predominantly anaesthesiologists.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1757-7241-16-9

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