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Long‐and Short‐Term Mortality Rates in Patients who Primarily Survive Cardiac Arrest Compared with a Normal Population
Author(s) -
Wernberg M.,
Thomassen A.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
acta anaesthesiologica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.738
H-Index - 107
eISSN - 1399-6576
pISSN - 0001-5172
DOI - 10.1111/j.1399-6576.1979.tb01442.x
Subject(s) - medicine , falling (accident) , population , cardiac function curve , pediatrics , cardiology , emergency medicine , heart failure , psychiatry , environmental health
This is a follow‐up study of 180 survivors after cardiac arrest outside intensive care and coronary care units. The follow‐up extended over 0.5 to 8.5 years (average 4.3 years) after the primary cardiac arrest. Of the patients, 72 (40%) were discharged from hospital, 13 with anoxic brain damage. Thirty‐one per cent of the discharged patients died within the first year; death had occurred in 43% after 2 years, and in 50% after 3 years. After that time, the mortality was similar to that of a comparable normal population. At the end of the study, 34 patients were still alive, including eight with neurological sequelae. Their present cardiac function was satisfactory in the majority (59%) of the patients falling into group I or II of the American Heart Association classification. Their social situation, however, left much to be desired, as only 50% had fully or partly regained their previous level of activity.