September 1, 2011Open Access
View Full PaperEarly versus Later Rhythm Analysis in Patients with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Structured PICO
Does a brief period of EMS-administered CPR before the first analysis of cardiac rhythm improve outcomes in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest compared to a longer period?
P
Population
Patients who had an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
I
Intervention
Brief period of EMS-administered CPR before the first analysis of cardiac rhythm (early rhythm analysis)
C
Comparator
Longer period of EMS-administered CPR before the first analysis of cardiac rhythm (later rhythm analysis)
A brief period of EMS-administered CPR before initial rhythm analysis does not improve outcomes compared to a longer period in patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Abstract
Among patients who had an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, we found no difference in the outcomes with a brief period, as compared with a longer period, of EMS-administered CPR before the first analysis of cardiac rhythm. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and others; ROC PRIMED ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00394706.).