Long-term prognosis of resuscitation after cardiocirculatory arrest in coronary disease patients
Maarek, M.; Haiat, R.
Presse Medicale 12(10): 635-638
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0755-4982 PMID: 6220285 Document Number: 207746
In France alone, coronary diseases are responsible for about 30 000 sudden deaths each year. In 60 to 90% of the cases cardiac arrest (CA) is due to ventricular fibrillation. The overall survival rate after CA is 66-92% at 1 year and 67-87% at 2 years. The long-term prognosis is more favourable when CA occurs during a recent infarction. Frequent, polymorphous, paired or consecutive ventricular extrasystoles, three-vessel coronary lesions, an ejection fraction lower than 0.30 and repetitive ventricular response to electrophysiological stimulation indicate severe myocardial damage and suggest that CA might recur. The preventive treatment of recurrent CA has not yet been fully established. Beta-blockers should probably be used widely, but the protective effect of other anti-arrhythmic agents is more questionable. Coronary artery bypass reduces mortality in patients who survive CA but has not been proven to lower the recurrence rate.