The impact of a high-quality basic life support police-based first responder system on outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Mario Krammel, Elisabeth Lobmeyr, Patrick Sulzgruber, Markus Winnisch, David Weidenauer, Michael Poppe, Philip Datler, Sebastian Zeiner, Markus Keferboeck, Jakob Eichelter, Thomas Hamp, Thomas Uray, Sebastian Schnaubelt and Alexander Nuernberger

PLOS ONE, 2020, vol. 15, issue 6, 1-9

Abstract: Background: Laypersons’ efforts to initiate basic life support (BLS) in witnessed Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA) remain comparably low within western society. Therefore, in order to shorten no-flow times in cardiac arrest, several police-based first responder systems equipped with automated external defibrillators (Pol-AED) were established in urban areas, which subsequently allow early BLS and AED administration by police officers. However, data on the quality of BLS and AED use in such a system and its impact on patient outcome remain scarce and inconclusive. Methods: A total of 85 Pol-AED cases were randomly assigned to a gender, age and first rhythm matched non-Pol-AED control group (n = 170) in a 1:2 ratio. Data on quality of BLS were extracted via trans-thoracic impedance tracings of used AED devices. Results: Comparing Pol-AED cases and the control group, we observed a similar compression rate per minute (p = 0.677) and compression ratio (p = 0.651), mirroring an overall high quality of BLS administered by police officers. Time to the first shock was significantly shorter in Pol-AED cases (6 minutes [IQR: 2–10] vs. 12 minutes [IQR: 8–17]; p

Date: 2020
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:plo:pone00:0233966

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233966

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