Effects of Epinephrine and Intravenous (I.V.) Needle on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Outcome

Phase

Condition

Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)

Heart Failure

Circulation Disorders

Treatment

N/A

Clinical Study ID

NCT00121524

525-02201

Ages > 18
All Genders

Study Summary

Intravenous epinephrine has been part of the guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation since the start. It improves outcome in animal studies, but has never been investigated in a controlled study in humans. Epidemiologic data indicate that it is an independent negative predictor for survival. If this is true in a controlled randomized study, it could be due to effects of the drug itself or more likely due to reduced quality of chest compressions and ventilations due to the time spent on placing an I.V. needle and injecting drugs.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion

Inclusion Criteria:

Cardiac arrest out-of-hospital

Exclusion

Exclusion Criteria:

<18 years old
Trauma as cause of arrest

Study Design

January 01, 2003

June 30, 2008

Study Description

In a randomized, controlled study of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients in Oslo, Norway, half the patients are treated according to the international guidelines for advanced CPR, and the other half according to the same guidelines, except for no I.V. needle or drugs are given until 5 minutes after eventual return of spontaneous circulation.

Connect with a study center

Ulleval University Hospital
Oslo, N-0407
Norway
Site Not Available

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