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Walk the Even Hospital Database by book and chapter — the raw source passages that ground Ask, DDx, and the rest.
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The American Heart Association (AHA) has identified several key principles or processes that improve the survival of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). These principles are described as "links" in the "OHCA chain of survival." The first 3 links in the OHCA chain of survival are: Early recognition and activation of the emergency response system Providing early cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) Rapid defibrillation Survival and subsequent neurologic recovery following an OHCA are dependent on multiple factors. Per review of OCHA literature, predictors of survival include: Witnessed arrest Availability of bystander CPR Having a shockable initial rhythm (ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation) [1] An association exists between a patient's return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in the field and improved neurologic outcome. A patient’s cardiac arrest location is an important factor in their survival. Over seventy percent of OHCAs occur in a private residence, and unfortunately, less than ten percent survive to hospital discharge. Approximately 20% of OHCAs occur in public places.[2] Literature has supported improvements in cardiac arrest survival rates with the performance of bystander CPR. CPR can prevent the degradation of a shockable rhythm to a nonshockable rhythm. Improved quality of life and health outcomes have been demonstrated in those who received bystander CPR compared to those who did not.[3] A study in New Zealand suggests that cardiac arrests occurring in public are twice as likely to survive to discharge.[4] Arrests occurring in public are more likely to be witnessed and benefit from bystander CPR and early defibrillation. The placement and use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in public locations with an emergency response plan in place have been shown to double a patient’s odds of survival from cardiac arrest.[2]