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Mickey S. Eisenberg, MD, PhD

JAMA. 2000;284:1435-1438.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text and any section headings.

Sudden cardiac arrest remains the number one killer among adults in the United States. This year, at least 250,000 people will die suddenly (often with no symptoms or within 1 hour of symptom onset) from coronary artery disease before they reach a hospital.^1-2 Resuscitation after cardiac arrest is possible, but only if the collapse is witnessed and the rhythm causing collapse is ventricular fibrillation. Pulseless ventricular tachycardia also has a good outcome but is uncommonly seen as the first recorded rhythm by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. All other rhythms, such as pulseless electrical activity and asystole, provide virtually no chance of survival.

Successful resuscitation requires a rapidly provided sequence of care. This sequence—quick access to emergency care, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), defibrillation, and advanced care—is termed the chain of survival.³ If all 4 links in the chain come together quickly, there is a good chance . . . [Full Text of this Article]

Dissemination of Defibrillators—Medical vs Consumer Scenarios

Author Affiliation: Division of Emergency Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle.

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