BACKGROUND Cardiac arrest is a major public health concern worldwide. The extent and types of randomized controlled trials (RCT)-our most reliable source of clinical evidence-conducted in these high-risk patients over recent years are largely unknown. METHODS AND RESULTS We performed a systematic review, identifying all RCTs published in PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and the Cochran...

BACKGROUND Current guidelines recommend epinephrine every 3-5min during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. For adults with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), longer dosing intervals are associated with improved survival to discharge. This study investigates whether longer epinephrine dosing intervals were associated with improved survival to discharge during pediatric IHCA. METHODS Retrospective ...

We performed a meta-analysis to compare the impact of extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (ECPR) to that of conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CCPR) in adult patients who experience cardiac arrest of cardiac origin. A literature search was performed using criteria set forth in a predefined protocol. Report inclusion criteria were that ECPR was compared to CCPR in adult patient...

BACKGROUND Development of ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia after an initial rhythm of pulseless electrical activity or asystole is associated with significantly increased cardiac arrest mortality. OBJECTIVE To examine differences in epinephrine administration during cardiac arrest between patients who had a secondary ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachyca...

IMPORTANCE After patients survive an in-hospital cardiac arrest, discussions should occur about prognosis and preferences for future resuscitative efforts. OBJECTIVE To assess whether patients' decisions for do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders after a successful resuscitation from in-hospital cardiac arrest are aligned with their expected prognosis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Within Get ...

Of patients with in-hospital cardiac arrest, those with pulseless electrical activity (PEA) have the worst outcome. Especially in these patients effective chest compressions according to the guidelines may be the key strategy to improve survival. Recently, a novel automatic mechanical chest compression device (LUCAS-CPR) has been shown to ensure effective continuous compressions without interru...

Time to first defibrillation is widely accepted to correlate closely with survival and recovery of neurological function after cardiac arrest due to ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. Focused training of a cadre of nurses to defibrillate on their own initiative may significantly decrease time to first defibrillation in cases of in-hospital cardiac arrest outside of critical ca...