Saturday News Tip - November 3, 2012

LOS ANGELES, Nov. 3, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Tip Highlight:

• Pulse loss after out-of-hospital cardiac resuscitation is linked to in-hospital death

NOTE ALL TIMES ARE PACIFIC. ALL TIPS ARE EMBARGOED UNTIL THE TIME OF PRESENTATION OR 3 P.M. PT/ 6 P.M. ET EACH DAY, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST. For more information Nov. 3-7, call the AHA News Media Staff Office at the Los Angeles Convention Center: (213) 743-6205. Before or after these dates, call the Communications Office in Dallas at (214) 706-1173. For public inquiries, call (800) AHA-USA1 (242-8721).

EMBARGO: 11:30 a.m. PT/2:30 p.m. ET

RESS Abstract 68 (JW Marriott at LA Live, Gold Ballroom)

Pulse loss after out-of-hospital cardiac resuscitation is linked to in-hospital death

People who receive CPR, are resuscitated, and then lose their pulse again before reaching the emergency department have a greater chance of dying in the hospital, according to a study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2012.

This phenomenon is known as "re-arrest."

Researchers studied 18,937 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in 2006-08 at 10 sites in North America. Emergency medical service personnel treated 11,456 patients (average age 64), reviving 4,609.

Of the 3,116 patients whose health status at emergency department arrival was available, 15.2 percent had lost their pulse after being revived outside the hospital. Survival to hospital discharge for those in re-arrest was 7.8 percent compared to 33.3 percent for patients who had not gone into re-arrest.

Author disclosures are on the abstract.

Statements and conclusions of study authors that are presented at American Heart Association scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect association policy or position.  The association makes no representation or warranty as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals; foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events.  The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content.  Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at www.heart.org/corporatefunding.

Follow news from the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions 2012 via Twitter: @HeartNews.

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AHA News Media Office, Nov. 3-7

at the Los Angeles Convention Center: (213) 743-6205

For Public Inquiries: (800) AHA-USA1 (242-8721)

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