Patients With Atrioventricular Block Transported by a Physician-Staffed Helicopter in Japan From 2015 to 2020

Abstract

Objective: We retrospectively investigated the current status of patients with atrioventricular block (AVB) who had been transported by the physician-staffed helicopter emergency medical service and their final outcome using data from the Japan Doctor Helicopter Registry (JDHR) system.

Methods: The following details of the dispatch activity were collected from the database of the JDHR: age and sex, vital signs when emergency medical technicians encountered the patient at the scene and on arrival at the receiving hospitals, contents of the medical intervention, new cardiac arrest during transportation, the main etiology of AVB, and the number of deaths in 1 month. The changes in vital signs between the scene and upon arrival at the hospital were compared.

Results: A total of 99 patients had complete AVB. The average age of the patients was 75 years, and there was a male predominance. All subjects were evacuated from the scene. Among the 62 subjects who received the drugs, 18 received atropine. Six patients underwent percutaneous pacing. None of the patients developed a new cardiac arrest during transportation. The average Glasgow Coma Scale score and heart rate upon arrival at the hospital were significantly greater than those at the scene.

Conclusion: The present study showed the current status of patients with AVB who were transported by a doctor helicopter using registry data from the JDHR. The present findings suggest that a doctor helicopter could provide safe transportation for patients with AVB.