Cardiac arrest events on Australian beaches

Background

Surf Life Saving Australia (SLSA) members respond to cardiac arrests near their patrolling location and have successfully resuscitated many community members over the years. In addition, members often act as first responders to cardiac arrest events in community settings, workplaces or through applications such as GoodSAM®. The outcomes achieved are not known after an update to resuscitation guidelines.

Objective

We aimed to analyse Surf Life Saving Australia data on cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and describe the epidemiology and outcomes of cardiac arrest on Australian beaches and factors associated with survival after CPR.

Methods

Using SLSA’s national Incident Reporting Database held by Surf Life Saving Australia, anonymised incident report forms were analysed to determine the incidence, aetiology and outcomes of CPR events attended by SLSA members on Australian beaches.

Results

Between December 2000 and May 2020 there were 158 incidents where CPR was provided SLSA members. Mean patient age was 46 years of age (SD 18.9), and 83 % were male. The majority (68 %) of patients were involved in water activities at the time of their requirement for CPR including swimming, wading, and watercraft activity.

Return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was achieved before transport to hospital in 34 (22 %) of cases. An automated external defibrillator (AED) was applied on 42 patients, with seven being defibrillated. The two variables associated with higher odds of survival were the incident occurring in the flagged area (OR 4.0 [95 % CI: 1.5–11.2]) and the use of oxygen therapy (OR 2.8 [95 % CI: 1.1–7.1]).

Conclusion

Cardiac arrest at the beach is an uncommon event. Cardiac arrest close to patrolling location and the use of oxygen were associated with improved odds of ROSC.