Bystanders are in a position to help improve outcomes in cardiac arrest victims. JAMA Network reported, studies have found an increase in the use of bystander interventions for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is associated with better outcomes. Studies have found that the use of interventions such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation and automated external defibrillators by bystanders and first responders have been increasing and have been associated with better survival and neurological outcomes for people who have experienced an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest has been an increasing health concern with a poor prognoses across the world. Shinji Nakahara, M.D., Ph.D., of the Kanagawa University of Human Services, Yokosuka, Japan, and colleagues investigated the associations which exist between bystander interventions and changes in neurologically intact survival among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Japan. An increase in neurologically intact survival in patients was found to be associated with bystander defibrillation and chest compressions.
It is the position of the researchers that more increases in use of chest compression by bystanders should be encouraged. This study offers novel findings which indicate that improvements in bystander and first-responder CPR and defibrillation are both associated with better survival. The researchers say the findings suggest the viability of improving outcomes by making first-responder programs better.
This study has been published in the journal JAMA. In Japan neurologically intact survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest has been improving. The researchers set out to estimate the associations which exist between bystander interventions and changes in neurologically intact survival among these patients in Japan. They have found with increases in the rates of bystander chest compression and bystander defibrillation there have been increased odds of neurologically intact survival in patients.
