• A Y Ng, J E Clinton, and G Peterson.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, Hennepin County Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN.
• Am J Emerg Med. 1990 Mar 1; 8 (2): 87-91.

AbstractClinical and autopsy records were retrospectively reviewed for 105 patients between the ages of 1 and 39 years who came in to the emergency department with nontraumatic cardiac arrest. There were 65 male (62%) and 40 female patients (38%). Forty-eight percent of the patients were resuscitated. Long-term survival rate was 23%. The most common presenting rhythm was ventricular fibrillation (45%). Cardiac diseases constituted the most common cause of arrest (38%). Atherosclerotic coronary artery disease represented 50% of all cardiac causes. The second most common etiology was overdose or toxic exposure (21%). Witnessed arrest and an etiology of primary cardiac dysrhythmia for arrest were statistically significant factors related to favorable outcome. Asystole as the initial cardiac rhythm was a negative prognostic indicator. Age, sex, race, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and paramedic response time were not significant prognostic factors for long-term survival.

20 keywords...

hide…