Author(s)

Rosa Henriques de Gouveia^1,2*, Adriana Martins², Duarte Nuno Vieira²

¹Forensic Pathology Department, Delega??o do Centro, Instituto Nacional de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses, Coimbra, Portugal.
²Medical Faculty, Coimbra University, Coimbra, Portugal.

Cardiac Arrest (CA) is a major health problem, due to short and long-term sequel? and to associated mortality. Despite the improvement of out-of-hospital and in-hospital resuscitation manoeuvres, unexpected sudden fatal events occur. The authors reported the features of a series of sudden death (SD) cases where cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) was performed. Files of 1053 medico-legal autopsies, from victims aged ≥18 years-old, were reviewed. Cardiac Arrest leading to Sudden Death were found in 477 cases (45.3%), but only 199 (42%) of these had been submitted to resuscitation manoeuvres. There was an elderly male predominance. Both non-cardiac and cardiac CA/SD causes were present, despite the higher coronary artery disease incidence. Both out-of-hospital and in-hospital events took place. Age, severity of the disease, comorbidities and predominance of out-of-hospital CA were obstacles to successful CPR, leading to SD. Knowing the population characteristics may help to improve Emergency Assistance.

Cardiac Arrest, Resuscitation Manoeuvres, Sudden Death, Portugal

de Gouveia, R. , Martins, A. and Vieira, D. (2015) Sudden Death as the Outcome of Cardiac Arrest, in a Portuguese Region: Where Do Resuscitation Manoeuvres Stand?. World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases, 5, 227-232. doi: 10.4236/wjcd.2015.58026.