Coronary angiography after cardiac arrest

Acute coronary syndromes represent the commonest cause of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in adults. Coronary angiography (CAG) followed by percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) has been established as the treatment strategy for these patients. In this review, we aim first to discuss the potential risks and expected benefits from it, the caveats in its implementation, and the current tools for patient selection. Then summarize the recent evidence on the group of patients without ST-segment elevation on post-return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) ECG.

The implementation of this strategy still shows a wide variation among the various systems of care.The presence of ST-segment elevation on post-ROSC ECG remains the most reliable tool for patient selection for immediate CAG.A primary PCI strategy is currently recommended for patients with ST-segment elevation on post-ROSC ECG regardless of the conscious state of patients.Recently several randomised studies including patients without ST-segment elevation on post-ROSC ECG showed no benefit with immediate CAG compared to delayed/ elective CAG. This has led to a substantial although not uniform change in current recommendations.

Recent studies show no benefit with immediate CAG in groups of patients without ST-segment elevation on post-ROSC ECG. Further refinements in selecting the appropriate patients for immediate CAG seem necessary.