Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To describe the epidemiological profile of cardiac arrests and to determine factors associated with successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). DESIGN: Retrospective descriptive observational study. SITES: Badajoz city (Spain) and population attended by the Medical Emergency Unit of the Public Health System in that city. PARTICIPANTS: A study 359 cardiac arrests resuscitated between January 2002 and May 2009. RESULTS: Out of the cardiac arrests that ocurred in adults, 65.40% were male, the cause was not traumatic in 88%; 65.70% occurred in the patient's home,and in 6% of the cases there had been basic life support. The higher success rate after was achieved in adult male patients (OR: 0,43; CI 95%; 0.25-0.73; P=.002), whose rhythm was shockable (OR: 0,16; CI 95%: 0,09-0,27; P<.001) and when the start time of advanced life support was equal to or less than 10 minutes (OR: 0,22; CI 95%: 0,10-0,49; P<.001). In a multivariant analysis success of CPR was independently associated with male gender, initial shockable rhythm, and the onset of advanced life support within 10 minutes. Nine children were revived, but success was not achieved in any. CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac arrests are more common in adults and in few cases CPR is previously performed. Male gender, an initial shockable rhythm, and the early initiation of advanced life support, are associated with higher success of CPR. There were few CPR performed in cardiac arrest in children, and the prognosis was more unfavorable.