SURVIVAL FROM OUT-OF-HOSPITAL CARDIAC-ARREST IN CHRISTCHURCH 1992-3

Aims. To review the rate of survival to hospital discharge of victims of out of hospital cardiac arrest in Christchurch 1992-3. Methods. A w ritten record was completed for all adult victims of cardiac arrest at tended by the Canterbury Regional Ambulance Service for 1992-3. Result s. Seventy percent of the arrest rhythms were ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia. Eleven percent of the study pop ulation survived to hospital discharge. Sixteen percent of the patient s presenting with a ventricular tachyarrhythmia survived to hospital d ischarge. Conclusions. Rates of survival to hospital discharge for out of hospital cardiac arrest in Christchurch compare favourably with pu blished averages but are below rates considered the best achievable. G ains might be attained by improving rates of immediate call of emergen cy medical services and bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and by reducing time to defibrillation.