Prehospital Management of Cardiac Arrest: Current Practices and Future Directions in EMS

Authors

  • Khaled Khalaf Alanazi Emergency Medical Services, Saudi Red Crescent Authority - Riyadh. Author
  • Ayesh Ahmed AL- Khamis Emergency Medical Services, Saudi Red Crescent Authority - Riyadh. Author
  • Mohammed Ahmed AL- Turayk Emergency Medical Services, Saudi Red Crescent Authority - Riyadh. Author
  • Nawaf Abdulrahman Almaimoni Emergency Medical Services, Saudi Red Crescent Authority - Riyadh. Author
  • Abdullah Bader Albedaiwi Emergency Medical Services, Saudi Red Crescent Authority - Riyadh. Author
  • Fahad Nawar Alotaibi Emergency Medical Services, Saudi Red Crescent Authority - Riyadh. Author
  • Abdullah Ibrahim Abu Hilal Emergency Medical Services, Saudi Red Crescent Authority - Riyadh. Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47352/jmans.2774-3047.210

Keywords:

cardiac arrest, prehospital care, EMS, advanced cardiac life support, resuscitation, out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, emergency medical services, airway management, defibrillation, extracorporeal CPR, neurological outcomes

Abstract

Prehospital cardiac arrest remains a critical global health challenge, with survival heavily dependent on timely and effective emergency medical services (EMS) intervention. This article reviews current EMS practices in managing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA), focusing on airway management, medication administration, defibrillation, and advanced resuscitation techniques. It also explores recent outcome studies and future directions including extracorporeal CPR (ECPR) and quality improvement initiatives. Case studies and EMS protocol examples illustrate practical applications and highlight ongoing barriers to improved survival. Understanding the evolving landscape of prehospital cardiac arrest care is vital for enhancing patient outcomes and guiding EMS training and protocols. Despite advances, challenges such as regional disparities and variable bystander response rates continue to limit overall survival. Technological innovations and protocol refinements show promise but require widespread adoption and system integration. Ultimately, a coordinated effort involving EMS, healthcare systems, and public engagement is essential to drive meaningful improvements in survival and neurological recovery.

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Published

2025-10-09

Issue

Vol. 5 No. 2 (2025): Journal of Multidisciplinary Applied Natural Science

Section

Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Khaled Khalaf Alanazi, Ayesh Ahmed AL- Khamis, Mohammed Ahmed AL- Turayk, Nawaf Abdulrahman Almaimoni, Abdullah Bader Albedaiwi , Fahad Nawar Alotaibi, Abdullah Ibrahim Abu Hilal (Author)

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