• U M Guly, R G Mitchell, R Cook, D J Steedman, and C E Robertson.
• Department of Accident, and Emergency Medicine, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.
• BMJ. 1995 Apr 29; 310 (6987): 1091-4.

ObjectiveTo examine the effect on survival of treatment by ambulance paramedics and ambulance technicians after cardiac arrest outside hospital.DesignProspective study over two years from 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1994.SettingAccident and emergency department of university teaching hospital.Subjects502 consecutive adult patients with out of hospital cardiopulmonary arrest of cardiac origin.InterventionsTreatment by ambulance technicians or paramedics both equipped with semiautomatic defibrillators.Main Outcome MeasuresRate of return of spontaneous circulation, hospital admission, and survival to hospital discharge.ResultsRates of return of spontaneous circulation, hospital admission, and survival to hospital discharge were not significantly different for patients treated by paramedics as opposed to ambulance technicians. Paramedics spent significantly longer at the scene of the arrest than technicians (P < 0.0001).ConclusionsThe response of ambulance paramedics to patients with cardiopulmonary arrest outside hospital does not provide improved outcome when compared with ambulance technicians using basic techniques and equipped with semi-automatic defibrillators.

21 keywords...

hide…