A National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported study has found race- and sex-based differences in the increased chances of survival from people who received bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Average survival benefits for cardiac arrest, when the heart suddenly stops beating, could be three times as high for white adults compared to Black adults and twice as high for men compared to women. The findings published in Circulation .
"CPR saves lives -; that, we know," said Paula Einhorn, M.D., a program officer at NIH's National, Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI).
"Yet the disparities revealed in this research show we need to do more understand how to ensure equitable outcomes for all patients needing CPR. We're hoping new insights will lead to better survival for these patient groups." Researchers analyzed 623,342 cases of cardiac arrest in the United States between 2013-2022.
Among those cases, 58,098 people, almost 1 in 10, survived. About 40% of adults who experienced cardiac arrest received CPR from a bystander who was not part of the emergency response team. This could have included a family member, friend, or member of the public.
On average, those who received bystander CPR had a 28% greater chance at surviving compared to people who did not receive bystander CPR. They were also more likely to survive without having serious brain injuries. However, the researchers noted marked variations when they examined the surviva.