Combined interventions may improve success when treating sudden cardiac arrest

Recently, emphasis has been placed on the simultaneous implementation of resuscitation interventions currently recommended within the 2005 American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and emergency cardiac care (ECC). The rate of successful outcomes from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest remains relatively low in most U.S. communities. Accurate measures of these rates are difficult to determine because of ineffective reporting mechanisms. In many cases of acute myocardial infarction, the initial presentation of symptoms is quickly followed by sudden death. Little information exists regarding the system-of-care components most likely to result in successful outcomes. Inconsistent application of these components may be responsible in part for the variability of survival rates among communities. We present a case of acute myocardial infarction followed by sudden cardiac arrest benefiting from the application of coordinated, community-based systems of care.