$2,653,031
Program to Integrate Technology and Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation
Seattle & King County Department of Public Health
Focus: To improve cardiac resuscitation technology and resuscitation outcomes
Out-of-hospital heart attacks, or sudden cardiac arrests, are a major public health challenge and account for 10 percent of deaths in the United States. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart is unable to circulate blood, usually because of a disorganized heart rhythm. Across the nation emergency medical services (EMS) attempt resuscitation in hundreds of thousands of victims each year with less than 20 percent being successful, indicating an opportunity to advance public health if resuscitation therapies and technology can be improved. Public health researchers from the Seattle & King County Department of Public Health will work to improve on technology applications that affect sudden cardiac arrest outcomes. They will couple clinical resources with corporate and EMS stakeholders whose experience spans the technical, research, and clinical components of resuscitation.
Each year 4,000 Washingtonians suffer a sudden cardiac arrest. Low survival rates indicate room for improvement. Successful resuscitation requires a coordinated, time-sensitive set of rescuer actions that integrate activation of emergency response, CPR, defibrillation, and advanced medical therapies, collectively called the 'links in the chain of survival.' Across these 'links,' there is a strong interface between technology and human. The technologies include defibrillator-monitors, devices that aid CPR, and communication tools. Researchers hope to better integrate these technologies to develop complementary resuscitation methods including active guidance of rescuer actions during resuscitation and innovative approaches for education. Findings and practices will be translated across the state using a web-based training tool and a resuscitation training academy.
Collaborating organizations: University of Washington, Philips Medical, Physio-Control, Inc.
See also:
| March 1, 2010 | Local police participating in initiative to improve cardiac arrest survival [ KING COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH ] |
