Paramedics and technicians are equally successful at managing cardiac arrest outside hospital.

OBJECTIVE

To examine the effect on survival of treatment by ambulance paramedics and ambulance technicians after cardiac arrest outside hospital.

DESIGN

Prospective study over two years from 1 April 1992 to 31 March 1994.

SETTING

Accident and emergency department of university teaching hospital.

SUBJECTS

502 consecutive adult patients with out of hospital cardiopulmonary arrest of cardiac origin.

INTERVENTIONS

Treatment by ambulance technicians or paramedics both equipped with semiautomatic defibrillators.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Rate of return of spontaneous circulation, hospital admission, and survival to hospital discharge.

RESULTS

Rates of return of spontaneous circulation, hospital admission, and survival to hospital discharge were not significantly different for patients treated by paramedics as opposed to ambulance technicians. Paramedics spent significantly longer at the scene of the arrest than technicians (P < 0.0001).

CONCLUSIONS

The response of ambulance paramedics to patients with cardiopulmonary arrest outside hospital does not provide improved outcome when compared with ambulance technicians using basic techniques and equipped with semi-automatic defibrillators.