PREHOSPITAL EXPERIENCE WITH DEFIBRILLATION OF COARSE VENTRICULAR-FIBRILLATION - A 10-YEAR REVIEW

Early defibrillation of patients with coarse ventricular fibrillation has been implicated as a predictor of survival in prehospital cardiac arrest. A retrospective study of our experience with prehospital defibrillation was conducted to define the relationship between rapid delivery of first countershock and survival, determine whether a relationship exists between the number of countershocks delivered and the save rate, and assist clinicians with general guidelines for termination of advanced life support efforts in the presence of ventricular fibrillation refractory to multiple defibrillation attempts. During the ten-year study period, adult, nontraumatic, nonpoisoned, witnessed arrests with an initial rhythm of coarse ventricular fibrillation were reviewed. Of 1,497 patients, 25% survived, 13% were paramedic-witnessed (PW) arrests, and 87% were nonparamedic-witnessed (NPW) arrests. The mean PW shock time, defined as time from arrest to first shock, was 1.6 ± 3.7 minutes with a save rate of 37%. The mean NPW shock time was 10.2 ± 5.1 minutes with a save rate of 23% (P ≤ .001). Thirty-two percent of PW arrests were converted to a spontaneous rhythm with pulses after the first countershock compared with 9% of NPW arrests (P ≤ .001). There was a dramatic decrease in PW arrests obtaining a perfusing rhythm after the first countershock attempt with each minute delay in electrical countershock up to three minutes; a plateau effect was evident after three minutes. Of PW arrests, 73% had a shock time of less than three minutes and 27% had a shock time of more than three minutes with save rates of 41% and 24%, respectively (P ≤ .04). A linear drop in the save rate was present with each defibrillation attempt up to five; then a plateau was reached. Delivery of more than nine shocks during resuscitation was associated with a survival rate of only 0.5%. Our data support the concept that each minute delay in delivery of first countershock in prehospital coarse ventricular fibrillation can dramatically affect survival. Early and timely institution of defibrillation of patients whose initial rhythm is coarse ventricular fibrillation should be the goal of prehospital personnel. © 1990 American College of Emergency Physicians.