Changing Incidence of Out-of-Hospital Ventricular Fibrillation, 1980-2000

Abstract

The number of patients in Seattle, Wash, treated for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with ventricular fibrillation (VF) as the first recorded rhythm has decreased since 1980.¹ Such a change might be anticipated in view of the overall reduction in coronary heart disease mortality in the United States.² Since out-of-hospital deaths contribute substantially to coronary heart disease mortality,³ it follows that the incidence of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest may be reduced concomitantly.