Pathway for the management of survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

Hospital Variation in the Utilization and Implementation of Targeted Temperature Management in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Background Targeted temperature management (TTM) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is associated with improved functional survival and is a class I recommendation in resuscitation guidelines. However, patterns of utilization of TTM and adherence to recommended TTM guidelines in contemporary practice are unknown. Methods and Results In a multicenter, prospective cohort of consecutive adults with non-traumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium in 2012 to 2015, we identified all adults (≥18 years) who were potential candidates for TTM. Of 37 898 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients at 186 hospitals across 10 Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium sites, 8313 survived for ≥4 hours after hospital arrival, of which, 2878 (34.6%) received TTM. Mean age was 61.5 years and 36.3% were women. Median hospital rate of TTM use was 27% (interquartile range [IQR]: 14%, 45%), with an over 2-fold difference across sites after accounting for differences in presentation characteristics (median odds ratio, 2.10 [1.83-2.26]). Notably, TTM utilization decreased during the study period (57.5% [2012] to 26.5% [2015], P<0.001) including among shockable out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (73.4% to 46.3%, P<0.001). When administered, the median rate of deviation from one or more recommended practices was 60% (IQR: 40%, 78%). The median rate for delayed onset of TTM was 13% (IQR: 0%, 25%), varying by 70% for identical patients across 2 randomly chosen hospitals (median odds ratio 1.70 [1.39-1.97]). Similarly, the median rate for TTM <24 hours was 20% (IQR: 0%, 34%) and for achieved temperature <32°C was 18% (IQR: 0%, 39%), with marked variation across sites (median odds ratios of 1.44 [1.18-1.64] and 1.98 [1.62-2.31], respectively). Conclusions There has been a substantial decline in the utilization of TTM with significant variation in its real-world implementation. Further standardization of contemporary post-resuscitation practices, like TTM, is critical to ensure that their potential survival benefit is realized.

A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature exploring the experiences and quality of life of survivors of a cardiac arrest

BACKGROUND

Survival following cardiac arrest and subsequent cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is increasing worldwide, mainly due to greater awareness of the symptoms of cardiac events and an increased attention to CPR training. Although patient outcomes remain unpredictable and quantitative studies suggest that the overall quality of life (QOL) is acceptable, it is valuable to synthesise qualitative studies exploring these phenomena in depth, providing a deeper knowledge of survivors' experiences and QOL.

AIMS

To critically appraise and synthesise the qualitative literature on survivors' experiences of a cardiac arrest and CPR with the aim of identifying common themes that can inform clinical pathways and thereby improve survivor outcomes and QOL.

METHODS

A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature, using Thomas and Harden's framework, and confined to peer-reviewed papers published from 2000 to 2015, which were identified through database searches of EBSCO, OVID and ProQuest.

RESULTS

The search produced 204 papers, and of these, seven relevant papers were identified for review. Data extraction included setting, participants, research design, data collection, analysis and themes. Five qualitative themes were identified and were the subject of this meta-synthesis: multitude of contrasting feelings; disruption in the continuum of time; new reality and psychological challenges; changed body with new limitations; and confrontation with death.

CONCLUSION

This review provides insights into the experiences of survivors' QOL after CPR. Increased knowledge can improve person-centred care in the immediate and forthcoming care after the event, both in terms of planning for discharge and in the future care of people who survive a cardiac arrest.

A novel program focused on women survivors who were enrolled in a cardiac arrest pathway

The number of cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is estimated to be 300,000/year in the United States. Two landmark studies published in 2002 demonstrated that therapeutic hypothermia decreased mortality and improved neurological outcome after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Our institutional pathway for the management of survivors of cardiac arrest stresses teamwork involving multiple disciplines, including cardiology, critical care, nursing, neurology, infectious diseases, physical therapy, social work, and pastoral care. Involvement of the patients' families is critical in the understanding of the process and in the decision making and goals of care when neurological prognosis is poor. In a unique approach, we have included the survivors in the process. Our approach to quality improvement includes a yearly conference incorporating the voices of survivors and families. This conference serves as a means to review our experience, educate clinicians, involve all healthcare providers in the outcome, and provide a model of communication and professionalism to trainees. During review of our experience, we noted the small number of women undergoing therapeutic hypothermia, accounting for only 21% of all patients undergoing this therapy after cardiac arrest. This led to a conference that focused on cardiac disease and cardiac arrest in women.

Recent Advances in the Treatment of ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) represents the most urgent condition for patients with coronary artery disease. Prompt diagnosis and therapy, mainly with primary angioplasty using stents, are important in improving not only acute survival but also long-term prognosis. Recent advances in angioplasty devices, including manual aspiration catheters and drug-eluting stents, and pharmacologic therapy, such as potent antiplatelet and anticoagulant agents, have significantly enhanced the acute outcome for these patients. Continuing efforts to educate the public and to decrease the door-to-balloon time are essential to further improve the outcome for these high-risk patients. Future research to normalize the left ventricular function by autologous stem cell therapy may also contribute to the quality of life and longevity of the patients surviving STEMI.

Integrating voices of survivors into the system of care post-cardiac arrest

The management of patients after cardiac arrest is a prominent example of complexity on many levels of decisions. We designed a pathway for the management of survivors of cardiac arrest, guiding such decisions as cardiac catheterization, induction of therapeutic hypothermia, placement of defibrillator, and ethical decision making for life support. Our pathway outlines the comprehensive management of patients from the field through the emergency room, the cardiac catheterization laboratory, the cardiac care unit, step down unit, and the rehabilitation center. Involving patients and their families is a novel addition to a clinical pathway. We used the power of survivors' stories to inspire and educate clinicians in the utility of our multidisciplinary pathway approach. This approach may serve as a model for patient-centered care in medicine.

Novel "CHASER" pathway for the management of pericardial disease

The diagnosis and management of pericardial disease are very challenging for clinicians. The evidence base in this field is relatively scarce compared with other disease entities in cardiology. In this article, we outline a unified, stepwise pathway-based approach for the management of pericardial disease. We used the "CHASER" acronym to define the entry points into the pathway. These include chest pain, hypotension or arrest, shortness of breath, echocardiographic or other imaging finding of pericardial effusion, and right-predominant heart failure. We propose a score for the assessment of pericardial effusion that is composed of the following 3 parameters: the etiology of the effusion, the size of the effusion, and the echocardiographic assessment of hemodynamic parameters. The score is applied to clinically stable patients with pericardial effusion to quantify the necessity of pericardial effusion drainage. A stepwise, pathway-based approach to the management of pericardial disease is intended to provide guidance for clinicians in decision-making and a patient-tailored evidence-based approach to medical and surgical therapy for pericardial disease. The pathway for the management of pericardial disease is the ninth project to be incorporated into the "Advanced Cardiac Admission Program" at Saint Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center of Columbia University in New York. Further studies should focus on the validation of the feasibility, efficacy, and reliability of this pathway.

Success in implementing a hospital-wide evidence-based clinical pathways system for the management of cardiac patients: the ACAP program experience

There is robust evidence to support the concept that critical pathways, derived from evidence-based guidelines, are an effective strategy for bridging the gap between published guidelines and clinical practice. It was with this idea in mind that in 2004 we developed an innovative novel program at our institution, that is, the "Advanced Cardiac Admission Program." The Advanced Cardiac Admission program consists of tools and strategies for implementing American College of Cardiology or American Heart Association guidelines into daily clinical practice. The program is composed of 8 novel critical pathways for the management of cardiac patients. In this article, we describe our experience in successfully implementing this program at our institutions.

Implementing a pathway for the management of acute coronary syndrome leads to improved compliance with guidelines and a decrease in angina symptoms

We describe our experience with the Advanced Cardiac Admission Program (ACAP) at our institution. The ACAP program is a hospital-wide implementation of critical pathways-based management of all cardiac patients. Data review of patients admitted for acute coronary syndromes from the ACAP-PAIN database and a comparative study of outcomes before and after implementation of the pathways-based assessment and treatment protocols. In the pre-ACAP and post-ACAP patient groups, antiplatelet use at admission improved from 50% to 75% (p<.01), ACE-I use improved from 32% to 54% (p<.0001), statins use increased from 35% to 62% (p<.0001), and smoking cessation awareness increased from 15% to 86% (p<.0001). At 1-year follow-up, 84% of patients with CAD were treated with statins, and 47% had LDL cholesterol <100 mg/dL, compared with 20% and 9%, respectively, with conventional treatment before ACAP implementation (p<.0001). Recurrent angina symptoms and nonfatal myocardial infarction rates decreased from 28.5% to 13% (p = .02), and 15% to 5% (p = 0.03), respectively. Pathway-based programs like ACAP significantly enhance administration of guidelines-based cardioprotective medications both during hospital stay and at 1-year follow-up.