Victorian out-of-hospital cardiac survival rates among the best in the world Odds of survival higher in 2012-13 than any other year over last decade Victorian Coalition Government delivering world-class health care
Minister for Health David Davis announced today that a new report confirms Victorians whose hearts stop beating after suffering a cardiac arrest have a greater chance of survival than people almost anywhere else in the world.
“The odds of survival from a cardiac arrest outside hospital were higher in 2012/13 than in any other year over the last decade,” Mr Davis said.
Mr Davis said 50 per cent of patients whose hearts had stopped beating but still had shockable rhythms in 2012/13 were able to be revived, and 26 per cent of the cardiac arrest patients survived to be discharged from hospital after treatment.
Mr Davis said Ambulance Victoria has maintained world-class cardiac arrest survival rates, with survival from shockable rhythms comparing favourably with pooled international rates.
“Patients who received CPR from community members, particularly those who were treated with public defibrillators to get their hearts beating again in the vital minutes before paramedics arrived, had even better survival rates,” Mr Davis said.
“The data confirms that the Victorian community should have every confidence in the professionalism and expertise of our paramedics and community volunteers.
“The proportion of patients who survive their cardiac arrest and are discharged from hospital has risen by 12 per cent since 2003/04, so there are many Victorians alive now who owe their lives to our paramedics and volunteers.
“Victoria’s 26 per cent of cardiac arrest patients who walk out the hospital door is in stark contrast to the pooled survival rate reported across a range of jurisdictions across the world, which is just 7.2 per cent.
“Even compared with countries with the highest baseline survival rates, Victoria is 3 per cent above the pooled average.”

Mr Davis said the expertise of staff taking emergency calls in Victoria’s communication and call centres was important in identifying cases as cardiac arrests, which helped enable early treatment as paramedics were en route.
The use of automated external defibrillators by members of the public on cardiac arrest patients has increased from one per cent in 2003/04 to 10 per cent in 2012/13.
“Early defibrillation by community members achieved the most favorable survival rates for people who suffer a cardiac arrest,” Mr Davis said.
“In 2012/13, 56 per cent of patients were discharged alive after being defibrillated by someone in the community.
“I encourage as many people as possible to receive basic training in the use of defibrillators, which are real life-savers in the event of a cardiac arrest.
“More bystanders than ever are recognising cardiac arrests and providing lifesaving resuscitation before paramedics arrive, greatly improving the chances of survival.”
Mr Davis said the Victorian comprehensive cardiac plan, launched on January 31, showed the Coalition Government’s commitment to boosting cardiac arrest survival rates and preventing and treating heart disease.
The Victorian Coalition Government has committed $21.9 million over four years to improve outcomes for Victorians with heart disease and stroke.

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