Follow-up of 514 consecutive patients with cardiopulmonary arrest outside the hospital

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During the years 1974 of 1976, 514 patients with prehospital cardiopulmonary arrest were brought to the Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC) Emergency Department. Of these, 344 patients (67%) were either dead on arrival or died in the emergency department despite efforts at resuscitation. The remaining 170 patients were admitted to the coronary care unit. Eighty-seven patients (51%) died in the coronary care unit, primarily from uncontrolled rhythm disturbances and/or cardiogenic shock. The remaining 83 patients (16% of the total group, 49% of those admitted to the hospital) were discharged alive from HCMC. In this group, 49 patients of the 83 long-term survivors were ambulatory with full mental function when discharged. The remaining 34 patients were trnasferred to chronic care facilities for medical treatment of on-going problems. Of the 49 ambulatory patients, satisfactory data for follow-up was obtained on 47. Their mortality rate was 15% in the first year and 50% in the second, primarily from sudden death syndrome.