A Call to Action to Improve Cardiac Arrest Outcomes: A Report From the National Summit for Cardiac Arrest

Heart Lung Circ. 2024 Nov;33(11):1507-1522. doi: 10.1016/j.hlc.2024.09.001. Epub 2024 Sep 20.

Abstract

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) represents a major cause of premature mortality globally, with enormous impact and financial cost to victims, families, and communities. SCA prevention should be considered a health priority in Australia. National Cardiac Arrest Summits were held in June 2022 and March 2023, with inclusion from multi-faceted endeavours related to SCA prevention. It was agreed to establish a multidisciplinary Australian Sudden Cardiac Arrest Alliance (AuSCAA) working group charged with developing a national unified strategy, with clear and measurable quality indicators and standardised outcome measures, to amplify the goal of SCA prevention throughout Australia. A multi-faceted prevention strategy will include i) endeavours to progress community awareness, ii) improved fundamental mechanistic understanding, iii) implementation of best-practice resuscitation strategies for all demographics and locations, iv) secondary risk assessment directed to family members, and v) development of (near) real-time registry of cardiac arrest cases to inform areas of need and effectiveness of interventions. Together, we can and should reduce the impact of SCA in Australia.

Keywords: Arrhythmia; Cardiac genetics; Cardiomyopathy; Defibrillator; Heart attack; Resuscitation; Sudden cardiac death.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Australia / epidemiology
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation* / methods
  • Congresses as Topic
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / epidemiology
  • Death, Sudden, Cardiac / prevention & control
  • Heart Arrest / epidemiology
  • Heart Arrest / prevention & control
  • Heart Arrest / therapy
  • Humans