Resuscitated cardiac arrest and prognosis following myocardial infarction

Objectives To determine whether resuscitated cardiac arrest (CA) complicating ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) impacts outcome, particularly in patients surviving to discharge. Background Resuscitated CA complicating STEMI is associated with increased inpatient mortality. The impact on later prognosis is unclear. Methods We analysed data from the UK Myocardial Ischaemia National Audit Project for STEMI patients admitted during January 2008–March 2010. We used survival analyses to assess the independent impact of resuscitated CA during the index episode on inhospital, 30 days, 1 year and medium term all-cause mortality. Results Of 48 749 STEMI patients, 5308 (10.9%) were recorded as having a CA. Of these, 1557 (29.3%) died on the day of CA. In survivors, after covariate adjustment, resuscitated CA was associated with increased risk of death during the index admission (HR 4.05 (3.69 to 4.45) p Conclusions STEMI complicated by resuscitated CA merits careful monitoring in the early period postevent. In contemporary practice, there is no impact of resuscitated CA on longer-term prognosis.