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 | July 20, 2005
Regions Emergency Medical Services and the St. Paul Fire Department participate in a national CPR research study
Anyone 18 and older experiencing non-traumatic cardiac arrest in St. Paul area may become part of a research study
St. Paul, Minn., -- Regions Hospital Emergency Medical Services (EMS) is participating in a study that will involve people experiencing cardiac arrest and in need of medical assistance. Working in conjunction with emergency personnel from the St. Paul Fire Department, who will perform the study and provide transport to participants, researchers at Regions EMS will study two new experimental devices in cardiac arrest beginning in August.
All participants will receive cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The study will compare the effectiveness of standard CPR to the effectiveness of standard CPR coupled with the ResQPOD, the experimental device, or the ResQPOD in tandem with the ResQPump to determine if one or both devices improve survival rates and brain recovery in cardiac arrest.
The ResQPOD is a device that fits over the equipment used to help people in cardiac arrest manage airflow coming into the chest and increase blood flow back to the heart. The ResQPump is a hand-held suction device that pulls the chest cavity toward the person performing CPR.
Because the research is studying participants in cardiac arrest, obtaining initial patient consent is impossible. Federal Regulations require that the researchers initiate a multi-level community notification process. This process includes two meetings, which will be held on Thursday, Aug. 4 at 9 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Kelly Inn in St. Paul. Anyone interested is encouraged to attend this meeting for more information.
Participants and their families will be fully informed about the study after being treated with standard CPR or the ResQPOD and/or ResQPump devices. The randomized study will take place over a three-year period in which the different means of performing CPR will rotate in five-week blocks, including standard CPR, CPR with one of the experimental devices, and CPR with both of the experimental devices.
People who qualify as study participants are those age 18 or older who experience non-traumatic cardiac arrest, including heart attack, stroke and drowning, in the St. Paul area where the study will take place. Cardiac arrest is the sudden loss of pulse and breathing, and CPR is typically performed until normal heart function can be restored.
The study will begin in September 2005; the anticipated end date is September 2008. Study results will be shared with the public after this time and participant identities will remain confidential. About 420 people in the St. Paul area are expected to be enrolled in this study.
Regions Hospital is a Level I Trauma Center and teaching hospital serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin for more than 130 years. Regions is a premier, full-service, private hospital providing outstanding medical and surgical care with special programs in heart, women's care, cancer, orthopedics, neurology, burn and emergency care. The hospital is part of the HealthPartners family of health care organizations. Additional information is available at www.regionshospital.com.
Contact:Jennifer Kovacich (651) 254-4726 or (651) 629-0411 pager
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