What is one of the most important determinants of survival from cardiac arrest?

What is one of the most important determinants of survival from cardiac arrest?

• A. The interval from collapse to defibrillation
• B. Time to first EMS arrival
• C. Patient age
• D. Quality of chest compressions

Answer: (A)

The interval from collapse to defibrillation is the strongest determinant of survival in cardiac arrest with a shockable rhythm. Defibrillation directly stops ventricular fibrillation or pulseless VT, allowing the heart to reset to a perfusing rhythm. The sooner that shock is delivered after collapse, the higher the chance of return of spontaneous circulation and long-term survival. While high-quality chest compressions are crucial to maintain blood flow, they cannot equal the impact of rapid defibrillation in these cases. Other factors, like how quickly EMS arrives or the patient’s age, are less predictive of outcome than how quickly a defibrillating shock is delivered. In short, rapid defibrillation after collapse dramatically improves survival chances.

The interval from collapse to defibrillation is the strongest determinant of survival in cardiac arrest with a shockable rhythm. Defibrillation directly stops ventricular fibrillation or pulseless VT, allowing the heart to reset to a perfusing rhythm. The sooner that shock is delivered after collapse, the higher the chance of return of spontaneous circulation and long-term survival. While high-quality chest compressions are crucial to maintain blood flow, they cannot equal the impact of rapid defibrillation in these cases. Other factors, like how quickly EMS arrives or the patient’s age, are less predictive of outcome than how quickly a defibrillating shock is delivered. In short, rapid defibrillation after collapse dramatically improves survival chances.