Maine Cardiac Arrest Survival Project

The Maine Cardiac Arrest Survival Project brings the latest advances in the fields of Cardiology and Neurocritical Care to benefit all of Maine's citizens, health care givers, and hospitals. We are a collaboration of the American Heart Association's Maine Affiliate, the State of Maine Centers for Disease Control, the Emergency Medical Systems (EMS) of the State of Maine, and the hospitals of the State of Maine.

Two American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines, the 2010 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC, Circulation. 2010; 122 [supplement 3]: S640-S656, and Nichol et. al., "Regional Systems of Care for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest", Circulation.2010;121:00-00, stress three new aspects of periarrest care: early and effective CPR, early defibrillation with automatic external defibrillators (AED), and regionalization of advanced care including cardiac catheterization services, therapeutic hypothermia, and critical care. The scientific basis for these recommendations is very sound, and the people of Maine will benefit from the realization of these recommendations.

MCASP strongly supports the improvements in CPR and the widespread availability of AEDs. In particular, MCASP's goal is the development of regional post-cardiac arrest services for Maine. Upon the occurrence of cardiac arrest, care must be local - bystander CPR, AED, and 911. Once cardiac rhythm has been restored (ROSC), the patient needs to be transported to the nearest, appropriate level of care. Such patients may need advanced techniques that are available at only a few centers (CRC) in the State (Level One CRC). Others may not need such advanced techniques (Level Two CRC). Working with EMS, MCASP requests applications from the hospitals of the State for the designation of each hospital as a Level One or Level Two Center. With such a designation, ambulances will be able to move patients from the field to the nearest and best center for their needs.

The link on the right connects to the LifeFlight of Maine's Inclusion-Exclusion Criteria for therapeutic hypothermia (targeted temperature therapy). Please note that this checklist may be applied to individual patients in consultation with appropriate experts.