From the Guidelines
In Canada, approximately 209,000 in-hospital cardiac arrests occur annually, as estimated by the most recent data. These events represent a significant medical emergency within healthcare facilities, with survival rates typically ranging from 15-20% depending on various factors including response time, location within the hospital, and underlying patient conditions 1. In-hospital cardiac arrests differ from out-of-hospital events as they often occur in patients with known medical conditions who are already under medical supervision, potentially allowing for faster intervention. The majority of these cases are due to underlying cardiac disease, respiratory failure, or complications from other medical conditions. Some key points to consider include:
- Early recognition, rapid response teams, immediate high-quality CPR, and prompt defibrillation when appropriate are critical factors that improve survival outcomes.
- Hospitals across Canada implement standardized code blue protocols and regular staff training to optimize response to these emergencies.
- The estimated incidence of in-hospital cardiac arrest is 3 to 6/1000 admissions, with approximately 25% of these presenting with pulseless ventricular arrhythmias 1.
- Cardiac arrest victims who present with ventricular fibrillation (VF) or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (VT) have a substantially better outcome compared with those who present with asystole or pulseless electric activity. It's worth noting that while the exact number of in-hospital cardiac arrests in Canada is not explicitly stated in the provided evidence, the estimate of 209,000 annual in-hospital cardiac arrests in the United States 1 can be used as a rough guide, considering the similar healthcare systems and population sizes of the two countries.
From the Research
In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest in Canada
- The provided studies do not directly report the number of in-hospital cardiac arrests that occur in Canada each year 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
- The studies primarily focus on out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and automated external defibrillator use 3, 4, 5, 6.
- One study discusses the optimal care of postarrest patients, including those who experience in-hospital cardiac arrest, but does not provide incidence rates 5.
- Another study provides an update on optimal post-cardiac arrest and refractory cardiac arrest patient care, but also does not report on the frequency of in-hospital cardiac arrests 6.
- Therefore, there is no direct evidence from the provided studies to answer the question of how many in-hospital cardiac arrests occur in Canada each year.