• Andreas Günther, Ulf Harding, Matthias Gietzelt, Frank Gradaus, Erik Tute, and Matthias Fischer.
• Ärztlicher Leiter Rettungsdienst, Berufsfeuerwehr Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Deutschland Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Städtisches Klinikum Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Deutschland. Electronic address: andreas.guenther@braunschweig.de.
• Z Evid Fortbild Qual Gesundhwes. 2015 Jan 1; 109 (9-10): 714-24.

IntroductionDue to limited resources, the 2010 European Resuscitation Council (ERC) guidelines could not be fully implemented in the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) of Brunswick, Germany. This is why implementation was prioritized according to local conditions. Thus, prehospital therapeutic hypothermia, mechanical chest compression and feedback systems were not established. Clinical data and long-term results were assessed by a QM system and room for improvement was identified.MethodsAll attempted resuscitations from 2011 until 2014 were recorded and compared against the German Resuscitation Registry. Outcomes of adult patients following non-traumatic cardiac arrest were analyzed by year.Results812 resuscitations were attempted (incidence 81.2/100,000 inhabitants/year). In the two years following full implementation since 2013 the discharge rate from hospital was 16.4 %, the discharge rate with a favorable neurologic outcome was 14.1 %, the 1-year survival rate was 14.4 % in 2013. A significant improvement of risk-adjusted ROSC rate during the investigation period was demonstrated. The discharge rates remained unchanged; the increase in the discharge rates paralleled the increase in CPR incidence. EMS response times were remarkably shorter.ConclusionThe implementation of the ERC guidelines chosen appears to be generally safe. Fast EMS response contributed to superior results. All links of the chain of survival showed room for improvement, especially the proportion of lay rescuer CPR and telephone-assisted CPR. The high CPR incidence might indicate room for improvement in prevention. Access to resuscitation care can hardly be evaluated. Age-related access to pre-hospital resuscitation seems to be appropriate.Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

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