Written By: Satata Karmakar | Published : February 5, 2021 2:32 PM IST
COVID-19 patients at higher risk of dying after cardiac arrest
Covid-19 has affected millions over the last year. Many are still suffering from the virus and some are fighting the after-effects of the infection. But wait, that's not it. A new study has stated that COVID-19 patients who suffer a cardiac arrest either in or out of hospital are far more likely to die (at higher risk of dying) than those who are not infected with the novel coronavirus.
What is cardiac arrest? Do not mix it up with a heart attack. Aperson suffers from cardiac arrest when there is a sudden loss of blood flow in the body following heart failure. Some of the common symptoms of cardiac arrests are:
1. Sudden loss of consciousness
2. Difficulty in breathing
3. You may also feel dizziness and fatigue
4. Unexplained discomfort in the chest followed bychronic pain
5. Pounding heartbeat
The study also found that women, in particular, have the highest risk of dying from cardiac arrest as compared to men. According to the researchers, women infected with the COVID-19 virus are nine times more likely to die as compared to men after suffering a cardiac arrest in a hospital.
The study, published in the European Heart Journal, included 1,946 people who suffered a cardiac arrest out of hospital (OHCA) and 1,080 who suffered one in hospital (IHCA) between January 1 and July 20, last year.
The researchers from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden also stated that during the pandemic phase of the study, COVID-19 was involved in at least 10 per cent of all OHCAs and 16 per cent of IHCAs.
According to the experts, COVID-19 patients who had cardiac arrest out of the hospital had a 3.4-fold increased risk of dying within 30 days, while one who has suffered a cardiac arrest in the hospital had a 2.3-fold increased risk of dying within 30 days.
"Our study clearly shows that cardiac arrest and COVID-19 is a very lethal combination," said the first author of the study, Pedram Sultanian, a doctoral student at the University of Gothenburg.
"Patients with the coronavirus should be monitored intensively and measures are taken to prevent cardiac arrest, for instance with the use of continuous heart monitors for patients at high risk," Sultanian said.
When the researchers compared pre-pandemic cases with COVID-19 cases, they found that the overall risk of dying following an OHCA nearly tripled. It was increased 4.5-fold for men and by a third for women, they said.
According to the study, the overall risk of dying after an IHCA more than doubled. It was increased by a half in men and more than nine-fold in women, the study found.
The researchers also found a 2.7-fold increase in the proportion of OHCAs caused by breathing problems and an 8.6 per cent increase in compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during the pandemic.
The percentage of people who were treated with both chest compression as well as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation fell from 33 per cent pre-pandemic to 23 per cent during the pandemic, they said.
In March the European Resuscitation Council and the Swedish Resuscitation Council issued guidelines recommending that bystanders who see a cardiac arrest should avoid mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and concentrate on chest compressions in the case of suspected COVID-19 infection.
"Although previous studies have indicated that compression-only CPR delivered by bystanders may be as effective as compressions and ventilation combined, this may not apply to cases with COVID-19, since they are primarily suffering from respiratory failure," said senior author of the study, Araz Rawshani, physician and researcher at the University of Gothenburg.
"We believe this is an important finding that could possibly help authorities in handling the pandemic," Rawshani added.
(With inputs from IANS)
