Mechanical chest compression for use by the ambulance service to treat adults with out-of-hospital non-traumatic cardiac arrest

Health Technology Wales
Record ID 32018000224
English
Authors' objectives: HTW assessed mechanical chest compression devices to help decide whether they should be made available to ambulance services in NHS Wales. Survival rates are low for people who have a cardiac arrest out of hospital and need to be resuscitated. Paramedics try to keep the heart pumping, usually by repeatedly pressing down on their chest. Mechanical chest compression devices are designed to perform this action whilst the patient is being transferred to hospital.
Authors' results and conclusions: It was concluded that the mechanical devices didn’t improve survival rates and aren’t value for money. These devices might be useful for patients who can’t be quickly transported to hospital, but further data is needed to confirm this.
Authors' recommendations: HTW advises that routine adoption of mechanical chest compression devices across the ambulance service is not currently supported by available evidence.
Authors' methods: The Evidence Appraisal Report is based on a literature search (strategy available on request) for published clinical and economic evidence on the health technology of interest. It is not a full systematic review but aims to identify the best available evidence on the health technology of interest. Researchers critically evaluate and synthesise this evidence. We include the following clinical evidence in order of priority: systematic reviews; randomised trials; non-randomised trials. We only include evidence for “lower priority” evidence where outcomes are not reported by a “higher priority” source. We also search for economic evaluations or original research that can form the basis of an assessment of costs/cost comparison. We carry out various levels of economic evaluation, according to the evidence that is available to inform this.
Authors' identified further research: Audit is required of the use of the AutoPulse and LUCAS for treatment of OHCA in patients that require transportation to hospital for further treatment in a rapid response vehicles or air ambulance, using the OCHA registry and SAIL database to study 30-day survival, with subsequent evaluation of cost effectiveness.
Details
Project Status: Completed
Year Published: 2018
URL for published report: https://www.healthtechnology.wales/reports-guidance/mechanical-chest-compression/
English language abstract: An English language summary is available
Publication Type: Rapid Review
Country: Wales, United Kingdom
MeSH Terms
  • Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
  • Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
  • Emergency Medical Services
Keywords
  • Mechanical Chest Compression
  • Resuscitation
  • Cardiac Arrest
  • Paramedic/ambulance services
Contact
Organisation Name: Health Technology Wales
Contact Address: c/o Digital Health Care Wales, 21 Cowbridge Road East Cardiff CF11 9AD
Contact Name: Susan Myles, PhD
Contact Email: healthtechnology@wales.nhs.uk
Copyright: Health Technology Wales
This is a bibliographic record of a published health technology assessment from a member of INAHTA or other HTA producer. No evaluation of the quality of this assessment has been made for the HTA database.