Ventricular fibrillation following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
Research type
Research Study
Full title
AN ESTIMATION OF THE INCIDENCE OF VENTRICULAR FIBRILLATION AT THE INITIAL TIME OF COLLAPSE IN OUT-OF-HOSPITAL CARDIAC ARREST AND THE DURATION OF VF PRIOR TO ITS DETERIORATION TO A NON-SHOCKABLE RHYTHM.
IRAS ID
315145
Contact name
Charles Deakin
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University Hospital Southampton
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 7 months, 1 days
Research summary
Every year, approximately 60,000 people in England suffer from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA); a condition where the heart goes in to an abnormal rhythm. Survival mostly occurs in those who initially have a rhythm called ventricular fibrillation (VF). VF rapidly declines to a rhythm called asystole when survival is then unlikely. Ambulance arrival while VF is still present therefore greatly increases the chances of survival. This study aims to look at the initial rhythm documented by ambulance crew according to time after onset of collapse, in order to document the rate at which VF deteriorates into asystole by building a picture the number of patients still in VF at any given time after collapse. The results will enable a better understanding of the time window for potential survival for those suffering OHCA.
REC name
Yorkshire & The Humber - Leeds West Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/YH/0197
Date of REC Opinion
21 Sep 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion