Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness

January 7, 2021

Comparison of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests and Fatalities in the Metro Detroit Area During the COVID-19 Pandemic With Previous-Year Events

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The Michigan emergency medical services (EMS) Information System identified 1,854 out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) calls between March to May 2020, a 60% increase from the same period in 2019. Though the spike in OHCAs closely mirror the COVID-19 epidemic curve with a slight lag, it is not clear from these data whether COVID-19 infections directly affect the increase in OHCAs or the two are indirectly linked through changes in EMS utilization during the pandemic.

Nickles et al. (Jan 6, 2021). Comparison of Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrests and Fatalities in the Metro Detroit Area During the COVID-19 Pandemic With Previous-Year Events. JAMA Network Open. 

https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2774638