2026, Number 1
Cardiovasc Metab Sci 2026; 37 (1)
Challenges in Mexico in the management of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest
Álvarez de la Cadena-Sillas, Jorge; Asensio-Lafuente, Enrique; Fraga-Sastrias, Juan Manuel; Rodríguez-Reyes, Humberto; Urzúa-González, Agustín Ramiro; Díaz-Soto, Edgar
ABSTRACT
Sudden cardiac death (SCD) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) are global health problems that are responsible for almost 30% of cardiovascular deaths. The implementation of the chain of survival, including hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and early defibrillation, has improved survival and prognosis for OHCA patients. This work reviews the challenges and opportunities in Mexico regarding various strategies applied in recent decades to improve the survival rate of sudden cardiac arrest through the timely administration of CPR and early defibrillation. Interventions such as Public Access Defibrillation (PAD), volunteer responder programs, mobile dispatch of Automatic External Defibrillators (AED), drone delivery of AEDs, or new technologies for early detection of cardiac arrest are analyzed in the Mexican context.