Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest: Saudi Red Crescent Experience Throughout COVID-19 Era

Abstract

Yousef M Alsofayan,1 Saqer M Althunayyan,2 Mohamed A Mohamed,1 Saud H Alhabeeb,1 Mohammad I Altuwaijri,1 Fahad S Alhajjaj,3 Jalal M Alowais4 1Executive Directorate of Medical Affairs, Saudi Red Crescent Authority, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Department of Accident and Trauma, Prince Sultan Bin Abdulaziz College for Emergency Medical Services, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Department of Emergency Medicine, Unaizah College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Qassim, Saudi Arabia; 4Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Yousef M AlsofayanExecutive Directorate of Medical Affairs, Saudi Red Crescent Authority, P.O. Box: 11129, Riyadh, 11129, Saudi ArabiaTel [phone]Fax [phone]Email [email protected]: The quality of resuscitation for out hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) during the COVID-19 era could be affected. We aim to describe prehospital healthcare providers’ resuscitative efforts for OHCA cases and their definitive outcomes.Patients and Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study included all OHCA cases between April and June 2021 across all regions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Demographic variables, response times, CPR providers, initial rhythm, use of AED/Defibrillator, medical interventions, ROSC data, and dispatch codes were extracted from a central electronic platform.Results: A total of 1307 OHCA cases were included in this study, males constituted 65% and 42% were ≥ 65 years. Although the median response time to initiate CPR was 13 min, 11% of OHCA cases had a response time between 0 and 6 min. About 75% of CPR was provided on scene by BLS units, 78% of OHCA cases had asystole as their initial rhythm, an AED/Defibrillator was used more than 90% of the time for pulseless VT/VF rhythm, and ROSC was achieved in 8% of OHCA patients.Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining resuscitative efforts for OHCA continues in KSA. Closing knowledge gaps in the community and a better description of OHCA for the dispatcher could guide dispatch-assisted CPR and minimize OHCA response times.Keywords: out of hospital cardiac arrest, CPR, ROSC, coronavirus disease, COVID-19

Keywords

• out of hospital cardiac arrest
• cpr
• rosc
• coronavirus disease
• covid-19