Just 3 per cent of people suffering a severe heart attack in the Republic survive the incident
THE SURVIVAL rate among people who suffer a cardiac arrest in the Republic remains very low, a new study has found.
It claimed that only 3 per cent of those who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest (an extreme form of heart attack), survived the incident and leave hospital afterwards.
The study, which was carried out at a Dublin hospital, also found that only 20 per cent of the victims had received basic life support when the incident occurred.
The study was carried out by researchers at the Department of Clinical Cardiology, Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown between January and December 2007.
Dr Jim O'Neill, a consultant cardiologist at Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, said last night that of the patients seen at the hospital who suffered a cardiac arrest - whereby the patient either has no heartbeat or no pulse - "their chances of leaving hospital was only three in 100".
Dr O'Neill said the international figure was around 2 per cent. The Irish Heart Foundation has put the figure at around 1 per cent.
Dr O'Neill said all the figures were within the range and the research had shown the Republic was " no worse or no better" than other international norms.
However, he said that there was an urgent need to provide defibrillators and increased public education on basic life support, including introducing a programme in schools.
"The majority of people who die from heart attack do so before they reach hospital," said Dr O'Neill. "If you get to hospital without a cardiac arrest, you've a 90 per cent chance of surviving discharge."
He said there were areas around the world where a very focused approach to tackling the issue had been taken, with positive results. For example, in the casinos in Las Vegas, automated external defibrillators (AED) - which must be used by trained personnel and deliver an electric shock to the victim's chest to help restore the heart's normal function - were available and staff were trained to give cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Dr O'Neill said this had led to a dramatic increase in survival rates, up to about 50 per cent, following such incidents.
"In Washington, they have very good outcomes because they embarked on a structured education programme and had community responders," he said. This included training people in the use of AED and showing children how to carry out CPR.
Dr O'Neill said that he would welcome the HSE's guide on community first responders. (See separate story.) "Anything that motivates people to respond is to be welcomed," he said.
Dr O'Neill stressed that the research which was conducted at Connolly had been a joint effort between doctors, nurses and hospital staff. It will be presented at a research day tomorrow at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin.