Survival of resuscitated cardiac arrest patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) conveyed directly to a Heart Attack Centre by ambulance clinicians

Objective: This study reports survival outcomes for patients resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) subsequent to ST-elevation myocardial infarction ( STEMI), and who were conveyed directly by ambulance clinicians to a specialist Heart Attack Centre for expert cardiology assessment, angiography and possible percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Methods: This is a retrospective descriptive review of data sourced from the London Ambulance Service's OHCA registry over a one-year period. Results: We observed excellent survival rates for our cohort of patients with 66% of patients surviving to be discharged from hospital, the majority of whom were still alive after one year. Those who survived tended to be younger, to have had a witnessed arrest in a public place with an initial cardiac rhythm of VF/VT, and to have been transported to the specialist centre more quickly than those who did not. Conclusion: A system allowing ambulance clinicians to autonomously convey OHCA STEMI patients who achieve a return of spontaneous circulation directly to a Heart Attack Centre is highly effective and yields excellent survival outcomes. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.