Follow-up of 514 consecutive patients with cardiopulmonary arrest outside the hospital

During the years 1974 to 1976, 514 patients with prehospital cardiopulmonary arrest were brought to the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) Emergency Department. Of these, 344 patients (67%) were either dead on arrival or died in the emergency department despite efforts at resuscitation. The remaining 170 patients were admitted to the coronary care unit. Eighty-seven patients (51%) died in the coronary care unit, primarily from uncontrolled rhythm disturbances and/or cardiogenic shock. The remaining 83 patients (16% of the total group, 49% of those admitted to the hospital) were discharged alive from HCMC. In this group, 49 patients of the 83 long-term survivors were ambulatory with full mental function when discharged. The remaining 34 patients were transferred to chronic care facilities for medical treatment of on-going problems. Of the 49 ambulatory patients, satisfactory data for follow-up was obtained on 47. Their mortality rate was 15% in the first year and 50% in the second, primarily from sudden death syndrome.