Resuscitation
-
An asphyxial cardiac arrest rat model, originally developed for Sprague-Dawley rats, was transferred to a Wistar rat model. Several strain specific life support adjustments, i.e. ventilator settings, anaesthesia, and drug requirements, were necessary to stabilize the model for Wistar rats. Despite these arrangements numerous resuscitation related variables appeared different. ⋯ Without strict temperature control (as in groups 2+3 rats) group 1 rats went into spontaneous mild to moderate hypothermia during the first 24 h after restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Spontaneous hypothermia delayed the development of overall visible CA1 neuronal damage 24-48 h, but did not prevent it; therefore the model seemed to be suitable for future studies. Neuronal damages in the CA1 region in Wistar rats appeared to be more as shrunken cell bodies and pyknotic nuclei before resorption took place, whereas in Sprague-Dawley rats appeared in the same region.
-
Comparative Study
Characteristics and outcome among patients suffering from in hospital cardiac arrest in relation to whether the arrest took place during office hours.
To describe the characteristics and outcome among patients suffering from in hospital cardiac arrest in relation to whether the arrest took place during office hours. ⋯ Among patients suffering from in hospital cardiac arrest and in whom CPR was attempted those who had the arrest during office hours had a survival rate being more than twice that of patients who had the arrest during other times of the day and night. These results indicate that the preparedness for optimal treatment of in hospital cardiac arrest is of ultimate importance for the final outcome and that an increased preparedness during evenings and nights might increase survival among patients suffering from in hospital cardiac arrest.
-
The quality of life in long-term survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest may be a good outcome measure after resuscitation. Therefore, the psychosocial situation and quality of life in such patients after successful resuscitation was evaluated. ⋯ The quality of life was associated with few changes in psychosocial profile after successful resuscitation. The subjective negative factors bore little impact on the quality of daily living in our patients. Thus, continued efforts to improve out-of-hospital resuscitation measures for cardiac arrest are justified since long-term survivors can expect a good quality of life after successful resuscitation.