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Additional context provided by the study authors: In general, chances of survival for patients having a cardiac arrest outside hospital are between 1% and 10%. Even for those who survive the initial event and are taken to hospital, the chances of survival are still low (1- 10% as well) because of complications, as shown by the statistics in the literature and clinical practice.
In this particular work, in-hospital survival rate was higher compared to other studies due to several reasons. First of all, enrolled patients in the study were those who survived heart attack type STEMI, a subset of OHCA patients with more favourable characteristics. Treatment protocols may also explain the observed survival rates. The difference could also be explained by a higher number of Basic Life Support (BLS) courses in this region, which may have led to more people being aware of CPR and more people performing it. Other regional factors, such as improvements in emergency response systems and healthcare infrastructure, may also contribute to the differences observed.
On the other hand, the survival rate during long-term follow-up is an important aspect of the discussion. According to some studies, patients who survive cardiac arrest face low chances of a favourable outcome, often with a reduced quality of life due to complications and neurological impairments. However, other research suggests that the quality of life for these individuals can be comparable to that of the general population, provided that certain factors, particularly neurological outcomes at the time of discharge, are favourable. These contrasting perspectives highlight the complexity of predicting long-term recovery and emphasize the significance of early neurological assessments in determining future quality of life for cardiac arrest survivors.
ANNEX: Prevalence of STEMI
Funding: None
Disclosures: None
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