Life after cardiac arrest: A very long term follow up

To describe survival and causes of death after cardiac arrest (CA) and the life situation of very long term survivors.

Individuals with successful resuscitation treated at the Sahlgrenska university hospital during 1995-1999 and presented in former CA publications were studied. Survival time and causes of death data were extracted from the individuals who had died's records. Very long term survivors were offered a follow up visit at home. Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) used to describe cognitive abilities and EQ-5D to assess quality of life. The life situation was also explored.

14 out of 104 possible participants had survived to follow up. The median time to follow up among the 8 who agreed to participation was 17 years. Out of the 8 participants, 4 failed to reach the cut off score of normal cognitive abilities in the MMSE and 7/8 participants did not reach the cut off score for normal cognitive function in the MoCA. Overall the participants were content with their life situation and QoL. However, a tendency towards lower scores on the cognitive testing and a lower self-reported QoL was observed. No depression, post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety disorder were found.

A CA may lead to permanent cognitive impairments and the risk of dementia may be higher because of the injuries sustained during the collapse. However, further studies with more participants are needed to fully determine the risk of cognitive impairment after a CA. Regarding life situation, there was a tendency of lower QoL with lower scores on the cognitive testing. With a new treatment paradigm, there is a need for long term studies regarding this new population.