Paramedic PapersHome Cardiac arrest No evidence on screening arrest survivors' psychology
Cardiac arrest
No evidence on screening arrest survivors' psychology
Structured diagnostic strategies for psychological problems in cardiac arrest survivors: an important knowledge gap
Resuscitation · Added 26 September 2026
Systematic review of structured identification and assessment of psychological, emotional or cognitive problems in cardiac arrest survivors — of 1,605 records screened, none met eligibility, so there is no evidence base for which screening instruments, thresholds, timing or referral pathways should be used.
- Study type
- Systematic review
- Design
- Systematic review (MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL to December 2025)
- Participants
- 1,605 records screened; 0 eligible studies
- Main finding
- No comparative studies met eligibility criteria; no evidence base exists for instruments, thresholds, timing or referral pathways to identify psychological, emotional or cognitive problems in cardiac arrest survivors
- Caveat
- Finding is an absence of evidence — no data on effectiveness
- Bottom line
- Context only
Why it matters in Australia (Medium relevance). survivor follow-up sits mostly in hospital and rehab services rather than ACTAS road practice, but useful for post-ROSC handover and referral conversations
Learning goal
Recognise psychological, emotional and cognitive problems in cardiac arrest survivors and strengthen my referral judgement.
More
- Topic: Cardiac arrest
- Daily scan: 26 September 2026
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