Prognosis of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Underserved Rural Area.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Public Health
• Epidemiology

Background:

• Limited epidemiological data exists for rural out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients admitted to hospitals.
• This study addresses this gap by analyzing OHCA cases in Israel's Lower Galilee region.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct the first descriptive epidemiological analysis of patients hospitalized after OHCA in a rural Israeli academic medical center.
• To identify factors associated with survival in this population.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 62 patients admitted after OHCA to Tzafon Medical Center (2017-2023).
• Data collected included epidemiological, social, and clinical information from electronic medical records.

Main Results:

• The study included 62 patients (82% male, median age 61.5).
• 44% died during admission; 79% had a shockable rhythm on EMS arrival, and 48% had STEMI.
• Survival was higher for patients without a history of ischemic heart disease (IHD), hypertension, or hyperlipidemia, and with a first shockable rhythm (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• The in-hospital survival rate for OHCA patients in this rural Israeli setting was 56%.
• Absence of IHD, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and acute kidney injury, along with a first shockable rhythm, predicted better survival outcomes.