Cardiac arrest is the abrupt loss of heart function in a person who may or may not have diagnosed heart disease. The time and mode of death are unexpected. It occurs instantly or shortly after symptoms appear.
Researchers reviewed data from 13 independent international studies (38 percent included U.S. registries) involving 409,323 patients. In most studies, the researchers found that more women faced unfavorable circumstances when a cardiac arrest occurred. For example, many women were older, had lower instances of having a “shockable” heart rhythm and didn’t receive CPR from bystanders when compared to men.
But women were still more likely to survive to hospital discharge.
Further studies are needed to explain the paradox.
Wulfran Bouguin, M.D., Hôpital Cochin, Paris, France
SOURCE: American Heart Association