Document Detail


Recurrent ventricular fibrillation and modes of death in survivors of out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  1138178     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
We examined the causes of death in patients previously resuscitated from out-of-hospital ventricular fibrillation. In 51 months, 234 patients were sucessfully resuscitated, hospitalized and discharged home. During follow-up observation, 89 episodes of recurrent ventricular fibrillation or death (or both) occurred, 64 of which (72 per cent) were unexpected, out-of-hospital circulatory arrests. Ventricular fibrillation occurred in 77 per cent of the 44 episodes in which the electrocardiogram was observed. Ten patients survived one or more episodes of recurrent ventricular fibrillation. Median time to recurrent ciruclatory arrest was 20 weeks after the preceding episode. Prodromal symptoms were infrequent, and activity levels were generally low at the time of cardiac arrest. Recurrent ventricular fibrillation of sudden death (or both) occurred predominantly when the initial episode was not associated with acute myocardial infarction. Patients resuscitated from ventricular fibrillation are susceptible to early recurrence, probably reflecting continuing myocardial electrical instability.
Authors:
W A Schaffer; L A Cobb
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  The New England journal of medicine     Volume:  293     ISSN:  0028-4793     ISO Abbreviation:  N. Engl. J. Med.     Publication Date:  1975 Aug 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1975-09-09     Completed Date:  1975-09-09     Revised Date:  2007-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0255562     Medline TA:  N Engl J Med     Country:  UNITED STATES    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  259-62     Citation Subset:  AIM; IM    
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Adult
Aged
Clinical Enzyme Tests
Death, Sudden*
Electrocardiography
Female
Follow-Up Studies
Heart / physiopathology
Heart Arrest / therapy
Hospitalization
Humans
Isoenzymes
L-Lactate Dehydrogenase / blood
Male
Middle Aged
Myocardial Infarction / complications,  diagnosis
Necrosis
Recurrence
Resuscitation
Risk
Time Factors
Ventricular Fibrillation / mortality*,  physiopathology,  therapy
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Isoenzymes; EC 1.1.1.27/L-Lactate Dehydrogenase

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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