Bystander Recognition of Arrest and Calling for Help
The most important first steps in cardiac arrest care are recognition of the event and summoning help. These actions require widespread public understanding of OHCA, how to recognize OHCA, and the importance of immediate action.
The methods for teaching laypersons to recognize OHCA have evolved over recent years. Many studies have described the difficulty and delays caused by laypersons attempting to feel for a pulse [31]. Even trained EMTs had difficulty detecting the presence or absence of a pulse in patients undergoing cardiac bypass during open‐heart surgery [32]. Thus, current American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines advise that bystanders should call 9‐1‐1 and begin treatment for OHCA if the person has no movement and no regular breathing. Bystanders must not mistake agonal gasps for normal breathing [33].
Emergency medical dispatch is essential to cardiac arrest care. Public safety answering points must quickly and accurately recognize potential cardiac arrest calls and promptly dispatch appropriate first responder and EMS units. Providing pre‐arrival instructions for bystander CPR and AED use is another important role for the telecommunicator. Telecommunicator instruction in CPR improves the likelihood of the caller performing CPR (see Chapter 88) [34].
Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Bystander CPR refers to CPR performed by someone who was already present at or passing by the patient’s location. This contrasts with CPR performed by dispatched emergency responders. Bystanders have the earliest opportunity to provide CPR to the cardiac arrest victim. Multiple studies have demonstrated the survival benefit of bystander CPR, as well as the increase in mortality associated with delays in CPR delivery [35, 36]. EMS medical directors and agencies should monitor and optimize the rate of bystander CPR in their communities [37]. Prior efforts have included community education about OHCA and the importance of CPR, increasing access to training, and teaching CPR in schools to develop a culture of bystander assistance.
Table 12.1 CARES Public Reporting of State Aggregate Metrics, 2019.
Source: Reproduced with permission from CARES 2019 Annual Report. Available at: https://mycares.net/sitepages/uploads/2020/2019_flipbook/index.html?page=39. Accessed August 30, 2020. © 2019, MyCares.net.
| State | OHCA Incidence | Non‐Traumatic Etiology Survival Rates | Bystander Intervention Rates | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CARES Cases Reported (n) | 2019 CARES Population Catchment (n) | 2019 Total State Population (n) | Population Covered (%) | Incidence Rate (per 100,000) | Overall Survival to Hospital Discharge (%) | Utstein Survival (%) | CPR (%) | Public AED Use (%) | |
| National | 100,956 | 131,905,913 | 328,239,523 | 40.1 | 76.5 | 10.5 | 33.2 | 41.2 | 12.2 |
| Alaska | 394 | 611,330 | 731,545 | 83.6 | 64.4 | 16.0 | 44.1 | 73.3 | 2.7 |
| California | 16,100 | 24,681,023 | 39,512,223 | 62.5 | 65.2 | 9.0 | 32.1 | 43.5 | 12.0 |
| Colorado | 2,074 | 3,616,495 | 5,758,736 | 62.8 | 57.4 | 12.3 | 39.4 | 41.7 | 15.1 |
| Delaware | 1,165 | 967,171 | 973,764 | 99.3 | 120.5 | 11.8 | 30.4 | 36.2 | 6.5 |
| Hawaii | 1,321 | 1,415,872 | 1,415,872 | 100.0 | 93.3 | 11.3 | 31.4 | 49.2 | 13.2 |
| Michigan | 7,727 | 7,896,597 | 9,986,857 | 79.1 | 97.9 | 8.7 | 30.3 | 40.2 | 13.9 |
| Minnesota | 2,537 | 4,887,375 | 5,639,632 | 86.7 | 51.9 | 13.5 | 38.5 | 37.5 | 14.1 |
| Mississippi | 1,825 | 1,778,516 | 2,976,149 | 59.8 | 102.6 | 6.0 | 22.1 | 36.5 | 10.1 |
| Montana | 507 | 642,348 | 1,068,778 | 60.1 | 78.9 | 11.2 |