INTRODUCTION

The purpose of resuscitation and subsequent hypothermia treatment isto regain the health the patient had before the cardiac arrest. The effect can be classified indifferent ways: survival, time of survival and quality of life (QoL) (1). The life after cardiacarrest survival are affected and described as severe fatigue, feelings of anxiety and/ordepression, increased dependency in activity of daily life (ADL) and decreased QoL. (2)The aim of the study was to describe differences over time regarding functional outcome,physical and cognitive function of survivors after cardiac arrest treated with hypothermiaand also to examine survivors’ life satisfaction 6 months after cardiac arrest and genderdifferences.

OBJECTIVES

A prospective study including 40 cardiac arrest survivors admitted to threeSwedish hospitals between 2008 and 2012.

METHODS

Participants were studied from intensive care unit discharge to one and6 months after cardiac arrest. In addition to cerebral performance category (CPC), partic-ipants were asked to answer questionnaires regarding activities in daily life (Barthel Index),cognitive function (Mini Mental State Examination) and life satisfaction (LiSat-11).

RESULTS

At discharge from intensive care unit 9 (22.5 %) participants were defined withbad functional outcome (CPC 3–4). CPC improved over time and at 6 month all participantswere estimated with good functional outcome (CPC 1–2). At 1 month participants wereimpaired but they improved over time in their activities in daily life and cognitive function.Satisfaction with ‘‘life as a whole’’ was seen in 72.5 %.

CONCLUSIONS

Cardiac arrest survivors are satisfied with life as a whole despite a severeillness which has impaired their physical and cognitive function but seemed to improve overtime. To predict patients’ functional outcome in early stages is difficult and cerebral per-formance category alone is not sufficient to assess patients function. The healthcare teamneeds to work interdisciplinary and furthermore get a consensus of the instruments that bestcan reflect physical and cognitive function to specify the rehabilitation.

REFERENCE(S)1: Cummins RO, Chamberlain D, Hazinski MF, Nadkarni V, Kloeck W,Kramer E, et al. Recommended guidelines for reviewing, reporting, and conducting researchon in-hospital resuscitation: the in-hospital ‘Utstein style’. American Heart Association.Circulation. 1997;95(8):2213–39. PubMed PMID: 9133537. 2. Moulaert VR, WachelderEM, Verbunt JA, Wade DT, van Heugten CM. Determinants of quality of life in survivors ofcardiac arrest. J Rehabil Med. 2010;42(6):553–8. PubMed PMID: 20549160.