Recent research supported by Ambulance Victoria reveals that Victorians are now three times more likely to survive a bystander-witnessed, shockable out-of-hospital cardiac arrest than they were two decades ago. This significant improvement is largely due to increased bystander intervention, with rates of bystander CPR rising 4.5-fold and public defibrillator use increasing 22-fold since 2003. These findings underscore the critical importance of community members taking immediate action during cardiac emergencies.
The study, which analysed over 102,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases in Victoria between 2003 and 2022, also highlights long-term patient outcomes. Among adults discharged from the hospital between 2010 and mid-2022, 93.3% were still alive after 12 months. Of those, 85.3% experienced good recovery or moderate disability, and 38.5% reported full health. These statistics emphasise the lasting impact of prompt bystander intervention on patient recovery.
Ambulance Victoria’s Director of Research and Evaluation, Dr. Ziad Nehme, emphasises the importance of the “Call, Push, Shock” approach:
- Call Triple Zero (000) immediately upon recognising a cardiac arrest.
- Push Start chest compressions promptly.
- Shock Use a defibrillator if available.
By familiarizing themselves with these steps, community members can significantly enhance survival rates and improve the quality of life for cardiac arrest patients.
For more detailed information, please refer to the original article on Ambulance Victoria’s website. Ambulance Victoria
