Abstract
Aims: Review the short and medium term outcome of all cardiac arrest patients admitted to the ICU, determine the factors associated with mortality, and review the rate and outcome of patients receiving mild therapeutic hypothermia.
Methods: Retrospective review the medical records of all patients admitted to ICU following cardiac arrest between January 2000 and December 2007.
Results: The 175 patients admitted to ICU after cardiac arrest constituted 1.4% of all ICU admissions. Ninety three patients (53.1%) survived to ICU discharge, 69 patients (39.4%) survived to hospital discharge, 61 patients (34.9%) survived to one year, and 48 patients (27.4%) had favorable neurological outcome, as determined by the Glasgow-Pittsburg Cerebral Performance Category one or two, at one year. The multivariate regression model showed that duration of resuscitation, admission APACHE II score and coronary angiogram/percutaneous coronary intervention were significant factors associated with hospital mortality.
Conclusion: Our data suggest that the provision of post resuscitation care in ICU produces a significant percentage of high quality survivors. Factors predictive of hospital mortality include duration of resuscitation, APACHE II score and the appropriate use of coronary angiogram/percutaneous coronary intervention.
