Follow-Up of Cardiac Arrest Survivors: Why, How, and When? A Practical Approach

Abstract

Cardiac arrest (CA) survivors may experience cognitive, physical, or emotional problems that can affect their return to everyday activities and quality of life. To improve long-term outcomes, interventions after hospital discharge may be needed. A follow-up plan to identify CA survivors with increased risk of residual cognitive, physical, or emotional problems is important to target interventions and support. Current recommendations suggest that follow-up should include screening of potential problems, sharing information, and relevant referrals when needed. The complexity of the follow-up of CA survivors is due to the fact that several pathways of care may be offered, focusing either on the cardiovascular disease, the postintensive care syndrome, or CA-related brain injury. There is a potential to improve recovery through a more collaborative and holistic approach to follow-up. The aim of this review is to give examples of why follow-up after CA should be provided, but also how and when follow-up could be performed.

Keywords

cardiac arrest - cognition - depression - follow-up - health-related quality of life

• References

• 1 Moulaert VR, Verbunt JA, van Heugten CM, Wade DT. Cognitive impairments in survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a systematic review. Resuscitation 2009; 80 (3) 297-305
• 2 Torgersen J, Strand K, Bjelland TW , et al. Cognitive dysfunction and health-related quality of life after a cardiac arrest and therapeutic hypothermia. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 2010; 54 (6) 721-728
• 3 Wachelder EM, Moulaert VR, van Heugten C, Verbunt JA, Bekkers SC, Wade DT. Life after survival: long-term daily functioning and quality of life after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Resuscitation 2009; 80 (5) 517-522
• 4 Lilja G, Nielsen N, Friberg H , et al. Cognitive function in survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest after target temperature management at 33°C versus 36°C. Circulation 2015; 131 (15) 1340-1349
• 5 Lilja G, Nilsson G, Nielsen N , et al. Anxiety and depression among out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survivors. Resuscitation 2015; 97: 68-75
• 6 Cronberg T, Lilja G, Horn J , et al; TTM Trial Investigators. Neurologic function and health-related quality of life in patients following targeted temperature management at 33 degrees c vs 36 degrees c after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A randomized clinical trial. JAMA Neurol 2015; 72 (6) 634-641
• 7 Wilder Schaaf KP, Artman LK, Peberdy MA , et al; Virginia Commonwealth University ARCTIC Investigators. Anxiety, depression, and PTSD following cardiac arrest: a systematic review of the literature. Resuscitation 2013; 84 (7) 873-877
• 8 Sauvé MJ, Walker JA, Massa SM, Winkle RA, Scheinman MM. Patterns of cognitive recovery in sudden cardiac arrest survivors: the pilot study. Heart Lung 1996; 25 (3) 172-181
• 9 Moulaert VR, Wachelder EM, Verbunt JA, Wade DT, van Heugten CM. Determinants of quality of life in survivors of cardiac arrest. J Rehabil Med 2010; 42 (6) 553-558
• 10 Ørbo M, Aslaksen PM, Larsby K , et al. Relevance of cognition to health-related quality of life in good-outcome survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. J Rehabil Med 2015; 47 (9) 860-866
• 11 Boyce-van der Wal LW, Volker WG, Vliet Vlieland TP, van den Heuvel DM, van Exel HJ, Goossens PH. Cognitive problems in patients in a cardiac rehabilitation program after an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Resuscitation 2015; 93: 63-68
• 12 Smith K, Andrew E, Lijovic M, Nehme Z, Bernard S. Quality of life and functional outcomes 12 months after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Circulation 2015; 131 (2) 174-181
• 13 Bunch TJ, White RD, Gersh BJ , et al. Long-term outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest after successful early defibrillation. N Engl J Med 2003; 348 (26) 2626-2633
• 14 Horsted TI, Rasmussen LS, Meyhoff CS, Nielsen SL. Long-term prognosis after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Resuscitation 2007; 72 (2) 214-218
• 15 Fertl E, Vass K, Sterz F, Gabriel H, Auff E. Neurological rehabilitation of severely disabled cardiac arrest survivors. Part I. Course of post-acute inpatient treatment. Resuscitation 2000; 47 (3) 231-239
• 16 Shah MK, Carayannopoulos AG, Burke DT, Al-Adawi S. A comparison of functional outcomes in hypoxia and traumatic brain injury: a pilot study. J Neurol Sci 2007; 260 (01/02) 95-99
• 17 Peskine A, Baronnet F, Bayen E, Galanaud D, Pradat-Diehl P, Luyt CE. Long-term functional outcome of cardiac arrest survivors. Resuscitation 2014; 85 (4) e65-e66
• 18 Cicerone KD, Langenbahn DM, Braden C , et al. Evidence-based cognitive rehabilitation: updated review of the literature from 2003 through 2008. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2011; 92 (4) 519-530
• 19 Knopman D, Boland LL, Mosley T , et al; Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study Investigators. Cardiovascular risk factors and cognitive decline in middle-aged adults. Neurology 2001; 56 (1) 42-48
• 20 Knopman DS, Mosley TH, Catellier DJ, Coker LH ; Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study Brain MRI Study. Fourteen-year longitudinal study of vascular risk factors, APOE genotype, and cognition: the ARIC MRI Study. Alzheimers Dement 2009; 5 (3) 207-214
• 21 Gottesman RF, Schneider AL, Albert M , et al. Midlife hypertension and 20-year cognitive change: the atherosclerosis risk in communities neurocognitive study. JAMA Neurol 2014; 71 (10) 1218-1227
• 22 Picano E, Bruno RM, Ferrari GF, Bonuccelli U. Cognitive impairment and cardiovascular disease: so near, so far. Int J Cardiol 2014; 175 (1) 21-29
• 23 Wood DA, Kotseva K, Connolly S , et al; EUROACTION Study Group. Nurse-coordinated multidisciplinary, family-based cardiovascular disease prevention programme (EUROACTION) for patients with coronary heart disease and asymptomatic individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease: a paired, cluster-randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2008; 371 (9629): 1999-2012
• 24 Ampadu J, Morley JE. Heart failure and cognitive dysfunction. Int J Cardiol 2015; 178: 12-23
• 25 Pandharipande PP, Girard TD, Jackson JC , et al; BRAIN-ICU Study Investigators. Long-term cognitive impairment after critical illness. N Engl J Med 2013; 369 (14) 1306-1316
• 26 Wilcox ME, Brummel NE, Archer K, Ely EW, Jackson JC, Hopkins RO. Cognitive dysfunction in ICU patients: risk factors, predictors, and rehabilitation interventions. Crit Care Med 2013; 41 (9) (Suppl. 01) S81-S98
• 27 Wolters AE, Slooter AJ, van der Kooi AW, van Dijk D. Cognitive impairment after intensive care unit admission: a systematic review. Intensive Care Med 2013; 39 (3) 376-386
• 28 Stevens RD, Nyquist PA. Types of brain dysfunction in critical illness. Neurol Clin 2008; 26 (2) 469-486 , ix ix
• 29 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE). Rehabilitation after critical illness. NICE clinical guideline 83. London, UK: National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence; 2009
• 30 Elliott D, Davidson JE, Harvey MA , et al. Exploring the scope of post-intensive care syndrome therapy and care: engagement of non-critical care providers and survivors in a second stakeholders meeting. Crit Care Med 2014; 42 (12) 2518-2526
• 31 Larsen KK, Christensen B, Søndergaard J, Vestergaard M. Depressive symptoms and risk of new cardiovascular events or death in patients with myocardial infarction: a population-based longitudinal study examining health behaviors and health care interventions. PLoS One 2013; 8 (9) e74393
• 32 Lichtman JH, Froelicher ES, Blumenthal JA , et al; American Heart Association Statistics Committee of the Council on Epidemiology and Prevention and the Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing. Depression as a risk factor for poor prognosis among patients with acute coronary syndrome: systematic review and recommendations: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation 2014; 129 (12) 1350-1369
• 33 Langa KM, Levine DA. The diagnosis and management of mild cognitive impairment: a clinical review. JAMA 2014; 312 (23) 2551-2561
• 34 Blumenthal JA, Smith PJ, Hoffman BM. Is exercise a viable treatment for depression?. ACSM's Health Fit J 2012; 16 (4) 14-21
• 35 Beesems SG, Wittebrood KM, de Haan RJ, Koster RW. Cognitive function and quality of life after successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest. Resuscitation 2014; 85 (9) 1269-1274
• 36 Cowan MJ, Pike KC, Budzynski HK. Psychosocial nursing therapy following sudden cardiac arrest: impact on two-year survival. Nurs Res 2001; 50 (2) 68-76
• 37 Moulaert VR, van Heugten CM, Winkens B , et al. Early neurologically-focused follow-up after cardiac arrest improves quality of life at one year: a randomised controlled trial. Int J Cardiol 2015; 193: 8-16
• 38 Nolan JP, Soar J, Cariou A , et al; European Resuscitation Council; European Society of Intensive Care Medicine. European Resuscitation Council and European Society of Intensive Care Medicine 2015 guidelines for post-resuscitation care. Intensive Care Med 2015; 41 (12) 2039-2056
• 39 Raina KD, Callaway C, Rittenberger JC, Holm MB. Neurological and functional status following cardiac arrest: method and tool utility. Resuscitation 2008; 79 (2) 249-256
• 40 Rittenberger JC, Raina K, Holm MB, Kim YJ, Callaway CW. Association between Cerebral Performance Category, Modified Rankin Scale, and discharge disposition after cardiac arrest. Resuscitation 2011; 82 (8) 1036-1040
• 41 Becker LB, Aufderheide TP, Geocadin RG , et al; American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee; Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation. Primary outcomes for resuscitation science studies: a consensus statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation 2011; 124 (19) 2158-2177
• 42 Perkins GD, Jacobs IG, Nadkarni VM , et al; Utstein Collaborators. Cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation outcome reports: update of the Utstein Resuscitation Registry Templates for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: a statement for healthcare professionals from a task force of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (American Heart Association, European Resuscitation Council, Australian and New Zealand Council on Resuscitation, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada, InterAmerican Heart Foundation, Resuscitation Council of Southern Africa, Resuscitation Council of Asia); and the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee and the Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation. Circulation 2015; 132 (13) 1286-1300
• 43 Acquadro C, Berzon R, Dubois D , et al; PRO Harmonization Group. Incorporating the patient's perspective into drug development and communication: an ad hoc task force report of the Patient-Reported Outcomes (PRO) Harmonization Group meeting at the Food and Drug Administration, February 16, 2001. Value Health 2003; 6 (5) 522-531
• 44 Egerod I, Risom SS, Thomsen T , et al. ICU-recovery in Scandinavia: a comparative study of intensive care follow-up in Denmark, Norway and Sweden. Intensive Crit Care Nurs 2013; 29 (2) 103-111
• 45 Folstein MF, Folstein SE, McHugh PR. “Mini-mental state”. A practical method for grading the cognitive state of patients for the clinician. J Psychiatr Res 1975; 12 (3) 189-198
• 46 Longstreth Jr WT, Nichol G, Van Ottingham L, Hallstrom AP. Two simple questions to assess neurologic outcomes at 3 months after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: experience from the public access defibrillation trial. Resuscitation 2010; 81 (5) 530-533
• 47 Jorm AF, Jacomb PA. The Informant Questionnaire on Cognitive Decline in the Elderly (IQCODE): socio-demographic correlates, reliability, validity and some norms. Psychol Med 1989; 19 (4) 1015-1022
• 48 Nasreddine ZS, Phillips NA, Bédirian V , et al. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment, MoCA: a brief screening tool for mild cognitive impairment. J Am Geriatr Soc 2005; 53 (4) 695-699
• 49 Snaith RP. The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Health Qual Life Outcomes 2003; 1: 29
• 50 Roine RO, Kajaste S, Kaste M. Neuropsychological sequelae of cardiac arrest. JAMA 1993; 269 (2) 237-242
• 51 Lundgren-Nilsson A, Rosén H, Hofgren C, Sunnerhagen KS. The first year after successful cardiac resuscitation: function, activity, participation and quality of life. Resuscitation 2005; 66 (3) 285-289
• 52 Pusswald G, Fertl E, Faltl M, Auff E. Neurological rehabilitation of severely disabled cardiac arrest survivors. Part II. Life situation of patients and families after treatment. Resuscitation 2000; 47 (3) 241-248