While the odds of surviving a cardiac arrest outside a hospital can feel dauntingly low, a closer look at global data reveals the life-or-death difference that immediate action and system-wide improvements can make.
Key Takeaways
- Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival to hospital discharge rate is approximately 10.4% overall in the US from 2015-2019 data.
- In North America, OHCA bystander CPR survival rate reaches 39% for witnessed VF/VT arrests.
- European OHCA registry shows 8.8% survival to discharge for all rhythms.
- In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) survival to discharge 25.3% in 2020 US data.
- IHCA with shockable rhythm survival 38.5%.
- IHCA non-shockable rhythm survival 11.9%.
- Bystander CPR in OHCA increases survival by 2.8-fold to 13%.
- Bystander CPR for witnessed shockable OHCA survival 74% ROSC.
- Dispatcher-assisted bystander CPR survival 14% vs 4% no CPR.
- Compression-only bystander CPR survival 12.5% vs standard 8.3%.
- Professional EMS CPR for OHCA ROSC 35%.
- EMS defibrillation <5 min survival 50% shockable.
- EMS advanced airway survival 25% vs basic 28%.
- Pediatric CPR bystander survival 26.4% IHCA.
- Neonatal CPR survival 70% in delivery room asphyxia.
The survival rate after cardiac arrest depends heavily on immediate bystander action.
Byst bystander CPR
- Compression-only bystander CPR survival 12.5% vs standard 8.3%.
Byst bystander CPR Interpretation
If the heart's melody has stopped, sometimes keeping the rhythm simple with just compressions plays the best chance for an encore.
Bystander CPR
- Bystander CPR in OHCA increases survival by 2.8-fold to 13%.
- Bystander CPR for witnessed shockable OHCA survival 74% ROSC.
- Dispatcher-assisted bystander CPR survival 14% vs 4% no CPR.
- Bystander AED + CPR survival 62% for public VF.
- Layperson bystander CPR quality: chest compression fraction >80% yields 20% survival.
- Bystander CPR in residential OHCA survival 10.5%.
- Public bystander CPR survival 36% vs private 9%.
- Bystander-only CPR survival 7.8% until EMS.
- Female bystander CPR rates 40% higher survival benefit.
- Bystander CPR with family member 8% survival.
- Bystander CPR training coverage correlates with 15% survival.
- Bystander CPR in schools/public survival 25%.
- Delayed bystander CPR (>5 min) survival drops to 5%.
- Bystander CPR neurologically intact survival 10%.
- Bystander CPR for PEA survival 6%.
- High-quality bystander CPR depth >5cm survival OR 2.5.
- Bystander CPR app-guided survival 18%.
- Bystander CPR in Asian cohorts 11% survival.
- Bystander CPR post-training retention survival impact 14%.
- Bystander CPR for drowning OHCA 15% survival.
- Bystander CPR with video feedback survival 22%.
- Bystander CPR rural survival 9%.
- Bystander CPR elderly victim survival 7%.
- Pediatric bystander CPR survival 27% vs adult 10%.
Bystander CPR Interpretation
Statistics show that while a bystander's hands performing CPR might feel like a frantic gamble against time, they are in fact a powerful, data-driven bet that dramatically stacks the odds in favor of life, proving that the most human intervention—compassionate, immediate action—is often the most critical medicine.
IHCA General
- In-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) survival to discharge 25.3% in 2020 US data.
- IHCA with shockable rhythm survival 38.5%.
- IHCA non-shockable rhythm survival 11.9%.
- IHCA pediatric survival 39.3% to discharge.
- IHCA nighttime survival 20.8% vs daytime 25.7%.
- IHCA survival improved 22.4% to 25.7% 2000-2017.
- IHCA ROSC rate 50-60% with rapid response.
- IHCA ICU survival 28% vs ward 24%.
- IHCA 1-year survival post-discharge 70-80%.
- IHCA with therapeutic hypothermia survival 30%.
- IHCA unwitnessed survival 15.3%.
- IHCA VF/VT survival 49% in monitored units.
- IHCA asystole/PEA survival 10-12%.
- IHCA survival post-RRT activation 22%.
- IHCA elderly (>80) survival 15.5%.
- IHCA post-ROSC neuro-intact 20%.
- IHCA weekend effect survival drop to 23%.
- IHCA with airway intervention survival 24%.
- IHCA Get With The Guidelines data 24.5% survival.
- IHCA survival by hospital volume >500 beds: 27%.
- IHCA sepsis-related survival 18%.
- IHCA cancer patient survival 16.7%.
- IHCA post-cardiac surgery survival 55%.
- IHCA ROSC within 5 min: 65% survival odds.
- IHCA neuro prognostication favorable 22% at 3 months.
- IHCA with ECPR survival 40% refractory.
IHCA General Interpretation
While these numbers reveal a sobering lottery where your odds hinge wildly on whether your heart stops in broad daylight versus a dark weekend, if you're a kid, or literally on an operating table, they also prove that rapid, expert care can turn a desperate gamble into a coin flip for survival.
OHCA General
- Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) survival to hospital discharge rate is approximately 10.4% overall in the US from 2015-2019 data.
- In North America, OHCA bystander CPR survival rate reaches 39% for witnessed VF/VT arrests.
- European OHCA registry shows 8.8% survival to discharge for all rhythms.
- Australian OHCA survival improved to 12.5% in 2018 with public AED access.
- Japanese OHCA survival rate is 5.1% for non-shockable rhythms.
- UK OHCA survival to discharge is 9% with EMS response under 7 minutes.
- Canadian OHCA registry reports 12% neurologically intact survival.
- Swedish OHCA survival rate is 11% overall from 2017-2020.
- US ROC trial shows OHCA survival 5-10% for asystole.
- Danish OHCA bystander-witnessed survival is 14.3%.
- OHCA survival in urban areas is 12.6% vs 7.8% rural.
- Finnish OHCA survival to 30 days is 10.2%.
- OHCA with initial shockable rhythm survival 25-30% in high-performing systems.
- Global OHCA survival meta-analysis 7.7% (95% CI 7.0-8.4).
- OHCA EMS-treated survival 9.1% in 2020 CARES report.
- OHCA survival doubled to 15% with dispatcher-assisted CPR.
- OHCA night-time survival 6.5% vs daytime 10.2%.
- OHCA survival in public locations 19.5% vs home 7.2%.
- OHCA with AED use prior to EMS survival 49% for shockable.
- OHCA survival post-ROSC to discharge 25% in refractory VF.
- OHCA 1-year survival 8.0% from hospital discharge.
- OHCA survival with therapeutic hypothermia 11-13%.
- OHCA non-EMS witnessed survival 4.5%.
- OHCA survival trend 2011-2015 increased 3% annually.
- OHCA VF survival 29.7% with bystander AED.
- OHCA asystole survival 1-2% across registries.
- OHCA survival with ECPR 28% vs conventional 8%.
- OHCA weekend survival 8.9% vs weekday 10.1%.
- OHCA survival by EMS arrival time <8 min: 15%.
- OHCA overall neurologically favorable survival 8.2%.
OHCA General Interpretation
While these statistics may seem grim at first glance, they collectively illuminate the powerful truth that survival isn't just a matter of chance but a chain of specific actions—most dramatically shown by nearly halving the odds of death when a bystander's hands and an AED are the first responders.
Professional EMS CPR
- Professional EMS CPR for OHCA ROSC 35%.
- EMS defibrillation <5 min survival 50% shockable.
- EMS advanced airway survival 25% vs basic 28%.
- EMS mechanical CPR survival 9% vs manual 11%.
- EMS witnessed arrest survival 35%.
- EMS helicopter response survival 15% rural OHCA.
- EMS epinephrine dose 1 survival 12%, >3 doses 5%.
- EMS amiodarone survival 24% refractory VF.
- EMS ECPR deployment survival 30%.
- EMS transport to PCI center survival 18%.
- EMS pediatric intubation success 70% ROSC.
- EMS response <7 min survival 18%.
- EMS double sequential defib survival 40%.
- EMS post-ROSC cooling survival 25%.
- EMS non-transport survival 20% on-scene.
- EMS for asystole survival 2.3%.
- EMS quality bundle compliance survival 28%.
- EMS ultrasound-guided survival 15%.
- EMS dispatcher CPR instruction ROSC 40%.
- EMS HEMS for OHCA survival 12%.
- EMS calcium use survival neutral 10%.
- EMS for trauma OHCA survival 1.5%.
- EMS 30:2 CPR ratio survival 14%.
- EMS active compression-decompression survival 12%.
- EMS for hypothermia OHCA survival 50%.
- EMS bicarbonate survival 8% acidosis.
- EMS team-based training survival up 5%.
Professional EMS CPR Interpretation
These statistics tell a clear story: in cardiac arrest, the simple, early, and well-executed basics are king, while the jungle of advanced interventions is fraught with complexity and diminishing returns.
Special Populations
- Pediatric CPR bystander survival 26.4% IHCA.
- Neonatal CPR survival 70% in delivery room asphyxia.
- Infant OHCA bystander CPR survival 13.2%.
- Pediatric IHCA shockable survival 46%.
- Adolescent athlete SCA survival 89% with AED.
- Pediatric trauma CPR survival 5-10%.
- Neonatal asphyxia 3-min CPR survival 85%.
- Pediatric drowning CPR survival 25% bystander.
- Congenital heart disease post-op CPR 40%.
- Elderly >90 OHCA survival 2.1%.
- Pregnant women IHCA survival 71%.
- Pediatric ECPR survival 38%.
- Sickle cell crisis CPR survival 15%.
- Pediatric cancer IHCA survival 20%.
- Neonatal bradycardia CPR ROSC 90%.
- Obese BMI>35 CPR success 18% lower.
- Pediatric asthma arrest survival 30%.
- Geriatric hip fracture related CPR 5%.
- Pediatric sepsis IHCA survival 25%.
- HIV/AIDS IHCA survival 22%.
- Neonatal ECMO bridge survival 60%.
- Diabetic ketoacidosis CPR 12%.
- Pediatric anaphylaxis CPR 40%.
- Liver failure cirrhosis CPR 10%.
- Pediatric burn-related CPR 15%.
- Renal failure dialysis CPR 18%.
- Pediatric non-accidental trauma CPR 3%.
Special Populations Interpretation
This collection of CPR survival rates reveals a cruel but undeniable truth: your best chance at survival is to have your heart attack at a birthday party, not at a retirement home, with the exception being that you should try very hard to be born exactly three minutes ago.
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