Development of an accessible CPR device to improve outcomes for Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest

Abstract

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) are a relatively common cause of death with 350,000 people suffering from an OHCA and only 12% of patients surviving said incidents. Though biological factors significantly affect heart attack outcomes, environmental factors such as socioeconomic status (SES) disproportionately affect much of the population, and especially minority groups. Especially in an environment with inadequate medical infrastructure, bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) may be the only means of saving a patient’s life in the event of an OHCA. Currently, CPR training courses and automated external defibrillators (AED) serve as solutions to combat OHCA and achieve return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), yet they are quite limited in their accessibility, cost being a significant contributing factor to this issue. Though CPR training courses are an essential resource for the general public, populations with lower SES lack resources and access to these courses, let alone equipment such as AEDs. Additionally, AEDs lack true mobility due to their size, weight, and maintenance. This paper proposes a design of a novel, inexpensive, and portable device that may be able to appropriately guide bystanders, regardless of previous training, to perform the CPR possible on an OHCA patient, providing prospects of anybody with the ability to significantly increase the survival rate of OHCAs, regardless of SES. Working on the principles of accelerometry and metronome usage, this device can provide feedback based on compression rate and depth for improvement. Future research should focus on testing the feasibility and efficacy of the individual functions of the device.

Emergency Medicine Perspectives: The Importance of Bystanders and Their Impact on On-Site Resuscitation Measures and Immediate Outcomes of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

“…Furthermore, the "duration of patient care" metric, which we will present, offers an encompassing view of the EMT response, from the initial alert to the conclusion of their intervention at the scene. As we delve into the intricacies of these results, it is essential to bear in mind the retrospective nature of our methodology and the profound implications our findings may hold for the broader medical community and public health initiatives Although our research did not focus on the influence of socioeconomic factors on bystander CPR during OHCAs, it is noteworthy that other studies have pointed to disparities in this intervention based on the socioeconomic status of the area in which the cardiac arrest occurs [25,26]. Such disparities suggest that communities with limited resources might be at a disadvantage when it comes to public health initiatives, CPR training opportunities, and accessibility to medical facilities.…”