SEATTLE — Seattle and King County have seen significant improvements in cardiac arrest survival rates over the past two decades, based on a study from JAMA Cardiology.
According to UW Medicine, the study analyzed 25,118 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest from 2001 to 2020.
They found that the survival of people who require a defibrillator shock to restore their heartbeat increased from 35% to 48%.
The study also highlighted how, during these calls, firefighters who are certified as emergency medical technicians in King County are dispatched.
Dr. Thomas Rea, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and medical director of King County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), said that the increase was due to a “culture of responsibility and vigilance” within first responders in King County.
“This study demonstrates so well the cumulative impact we can have when we work collaboratively with all our EMS partners to test new ideas, measure their impacts and implement the strategies that result in improved outcomes,”Rea said.
Dr. Thomas Rea, a professor of medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine and medical director of King County Emergency Medical Services (EMS), said that the increase was due to a “culture of responsibility and vigilance” within first responders in King County.
UW Medicine says they also have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) that can be crucial during cardiac events.
The patients are later taken to an intensive care unit in one of the dozen hospitals that have one.
The study was study was published July 16 and was authored by UW School of Medicine fellow Owen McBride and Dr. Rea.