Características y evolución de los pacientes con parada cardiorrespiratoria extrahospitalaria sometidos a hipotermia terapéutica

Introduction

Cardiac arrest have secondary co-morbidities, especially neurological outcome. Due to this cirumstances is mandatory to optimized postcardiac arrest management. The objective of this research is to analyze patient's characteristics and outcome after out-hospital cardiac arrest in patients that have undergone therapeutic hypothermia.

Matherial and methods

We conducted a prospective observational study during a two-year period. We included resuscitated patients over eighteen years old who were admitted in to our intensive care unit. These patients had undergone prolonged resuscitation measures and were included in an implemented post-resuscitation protocol which included therapeutic hypothermia.

Results

Thirty-three patients were analyzed. The median time of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was 31.6 minutes. We observed hypoxic/anoxic encephalopathy in 32.3% of cases. This prognosis was associated in those who smoked (p = .04) and with longer time of cardiac arrest (p = .049). Also, the 66.7% of the patients showed a higher incidence of hypoperfusion (p = .049).

Conclusion

In our series hypothermia could be a useful tool in post-resucitation cardiac arrest managment. We also found that the neurological prognosis was associated to non-modifiable risk factors.