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A review of pre‐hospital defibrillation by ambulance officers in Perth, Western Australia
Author(s) -
Jacobs Ian G,
Oxer Harry F
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1990.tb126316.x
Subject(s) - defibrillation , ventricular fibrillation , medicine , medical emergency , emergency medical services , emergency medicine
Ventricular fibrillation (VF) is the most common presenting rhythm in cardiac arrest occurring outside hospitals. All cases of VF treated with a defibrillation‐only protocol by ambulance officers were reviewed. Of the 231 cases entered into the study, 40 (22.7%) patients survived to 28 days after discharge from hospital. The proportion of survivors in this study is similar to that receiving full paramedic services. Further, where time to defribrillation is short, the chance of survival improves. The key determinant in survival from VF occurring outside hospital appears to be how rapidly defibrillation can be initiated.