Change in cardiac CPR procedure leads to increased survival

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    (AP) A change in the procedure in which cardiac arrest

patients are treated by Arkansas’ largest ambulance service has resulted in an

increase in the number of patients who are revived.

    The new procedure calls for extended on-scene treatment over quickly

transporting the patient to a hospital.

    Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services of Little Rock told the Arkansas

Democrat-Gazette that the revival rate more than doubled from about 15 percent

to about 32 percent since it began performing uninterrupted CPR at the scene

beginning Nov. 23, 2015.

    Though the revival rate improved, the overall survival rate remains at less

than 6 percent.

    Cardiac arrest is caused when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions,

unlike a heart attack, which is the death of heart muscle tissue due to a loss

of blood supply.




   

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