• J Herlitz, L Ekström, B Wennerblom, A Axelsson, A Bång, and S Holmberg.
• Division of Cardiology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital Göteborg, Sweden.
• Ann Emerg Med. 1995 Jan 1;25(1):58-63.

Study ObjectiveTo describe the prognosis in consecutive patients discharged from hospital after prehospital cardiac arrest.PatientsAll patients in the community of Göteborg who were discharged from hospital after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest between 1981 and 1991.ResultsTwo hundred forty-three patients were discharged from hospital during the observation period, of whom 80% initially experienced ventricular fibrillation. Among patients discharged, 21% died during the first year; after 10 years, 82% had died. Age, sex, previous history of cardiovascular disease, circumstances at the time of cardiac arrest, complications during hospitalization, and discharge medications were assessed as predictors of 1-year mortality. Independent predictors of death during follow-up were history of myocardial infarction (P < .001), no prescription of beta-blockers at discharge (P < .01), age (P < .05), and cerebral performance category (CPC) at discharge (P < .05).ConclusionAmong patients who survived out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, one of five died during the first year and one of five survived 10 years after discharge. Prognosis was associated with a history of myocardial infarction, prescription of beta-blockers at discharge, age, and CPC at discharge.

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