Management and outcomes of cardiac arrests at nursing homes: A French nationwide cohort study

Abstract Background The incidence of cardiac arrest (CA) in nursing homes is rising. Our objective was to compare nursing home CAs with at-home CAs in patients aged 65 and over with regard to the CAs’ characteristics, the use and characteristics of cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR), and the outcome. Methods We performed an ancillary analysis of a French nationwide cohort of over-65 patients having experienced an out-of-hospital CA (at home or in a nursing home) treated by a physician-manned mobile intensive care unit (MICU) between July 2011 and September 2015. Results Out of 21,720 CAs, 1907 (9%) occurred in a nursing home. The presence of a witness was more frequent in the nursing home than at home (77% vs. 62%, respectively; p  Conclusions Nursing home residents who experience a CA are less likely to receive CPR from a MICU. If CPR is performed, however, the residents’ prognosis is no worse than that of patients treated at home.