LifeNet Inc. recently released its 2017 annual report on local survival rates of sudden cardiac arrest, a leading cause of death in the United States.
The report looks at out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. LifeNet was dispatched to 451 patients in the area who suffered SCA and attempted resuscitation on 147 of those patients. Approximately half of those patients responded to resuscitation efforts and were transported to a hospital. Of those patients, 14 percent survived to hospital discharge.
"A 14 percent survival rate is higher than the national average, which ranges between 8 to 10 percent in this overall survival category," said David Baumgardner, CEO of LifeNet Inc.
The numbers on the report fluctuate from year to year but have stayed above the national average since 2010, when it was 11 percent. In 2011, it was 12 percent; 2012, it was 17 percent; 2013, it was 12 percent; 2014, it was 17 percent; 2015, it was 16 percent; and in 2016, it jumped to 27 percent.
"There are a number of factors that impact the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest patients. In pre-hospital care, one of those factors is if the cardiac arrest was witnessed by someone who was trained in compression only-CPR. Another factor is if the event happens in a rural area or in town, which can impact response times by first responders and EMS," Baumgardner said. "Additionally, factors that impact survival rate for this report also include in-hospital care and the overall condition of the patient. Heart disease continues to be the number one cause of death in America, and we need a well-trained community that understands how to use automated external defibrilators and do CPR. Trained community members are a key link in the chain of survival."
"Unlike other EMS systems who only report their survival percentages based on witnessed ventricular fibrillation events, we report all of our sudden cardiac arrest numbers. In Texarkana, LifeNet's witnessed V-fib survival percentage for 2017 was even higher, at 19 percent," Baumgardner said.
A witnessed V-fib, or ventricular fibrillation, means there was someone there who recognized a cardiac arrest heart rhythm known as ventricular fibrillation. V-fib is the most common rhythm seen in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and is also the most deadly.
"The best treatment for a V-fib starts with early and effective CPR by whoever witnesses the event and continues by having qualified paramedics respond and begin treating the victim as soon as possible," Baumgardner said. "To give the patient the greatest chance of long-term survival, advanced cardiovascular care should be available within minutes of the collapse or the onset of symptoms."
LifeNet also measures its response time for SCAs. In 2017, LifeNet responded within eight minutes to 90.2 percent of patients in Texarkana, Ark., and to 91.9 percent of patients in Texarkana, Texas.
Having automated external defibrillators in the community can help increase the chances of survival for people suffering sudden cardiac arrest.
"We post ambulances to provide fast response times across the communities we serve. But EMS response is sometimes delayed by heavy traffic, secured buildings or gated communities. This is why LifeNet is a big advocate for establishing AED programs," Baumgardner said. "AED programs equip lay rescuers with AEDs and train them to perform CPR and use AEDs, helping ensure the people most likely to arrive first at a medical emergency are equipped to help."
In 2017, an AED was used 13 times in Texarkana. To help educate the community about AEDs, LifeNet made presentations at area service clubs and distributed handouts at health fairs and other community events last year.
LifeNet offers free educational opportunities to organizations wanting to educate their members on sudden cardiac arrest, compression-only CPR and AEDs. To schedule a free class for an organization, contact Netra Dutton at 903-832-8531. To read the full SCA annual report, visit LifeNetEMS.org/index.php/cardiac-arrest-report/.