Cardiac Arrest Survival Rates Still Below Pre-Pandemic Levels, Study Finds

A recent study to be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2024 has found that survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the United States remain lower than pre-pandemic levels, despite some improvement since the initial drop in 2020. The research, which analyzed data from over half a million adults between 2015 and 2022, also highlighted ongoing disparities in survival rates among different racial and ethnic communities.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall survival-to-hospital discharge rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrests was nearly 10%. However, this rate fell to 9% in 2020, with Black and Hispanic communities experiencing a more significant decline to 6.6%, representing a relative decrease of 16.5% compared to pre-pandemic levels. While there has been a slight improvement in survival rates during 2021 and 2022, reaching 9.1% overall, this figure still falls short of the 9.9% observed before the pandemic.

The study's lead author, Dr. Eric Hall, a cardiology fellow at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, emphasized the need for targeted efforts to support communities with a majority of Black and Hispanic residents, where survival rates have consistently lagged behind those in predominantly white communities. The research revealed that even as of 2022, the disparity in survival rates between Black and Hispanic communities and white communities remained at 2.6%, an improvement from the over 3% gap observed in 2015-2019, but still a significant difference.

Dr. Saket Girotra, the study's senior author and an associate professor of cardiology at UT Southwestern Medical Center, expressed surprise at the findings, noting that the team had expected survival rates to have rebounded to pre-pandemic levels by now. The persistent lower survival rates suggest that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cardiac arrest outcomes has been more long-lasting than initially anticipated.

Dr. Sarah Perman, chair of the American Heart Association's Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation, pointed out additional factors that may be hindering a full recovery. These include ongoing challenges in healthcare access and the increased incidence of overdose-associated cardiac arrests due to the presence of fentanyl in the illicit drug market since 2019.

The implications of this study are significant for public health policy and emergency medical services. The findings underscore the need for continued efforts to improve cardiac arrest response and care, particularly in underserved communities. Educational initiatives and community outreach programs to increase awareness of cardiac arrest and CPR skills are crucial steps in addressing these disparities.

Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of addressing broader systemic issues that contribute to health inequities. The persistent gap in survival rates between different racial and ethnic communities points to the need for targeted interventions and resources in areas with predominantly Black and Hispanic populations.

As the research community continues to investigate the factors behind these trends, healthcare providers and policymakers must work together to implement strategies that can improve cardiac arrest outcomes across all communities. This may include enhancing emergency medical services, increasing access to defibrillators in public spaces, and promoting bystander CPR training.

The study's limitations, including its observational nature and the end of data collection in 2022, suggest that further research is needed to fully understand the long-term impacts of the pandemic on cardiac arrest survival rates. However, these preliminary findings serve as a crucial call to action for improving cardiovascular health outcomes and addressing health disparities in the United States.