ALPS Study: Evaluating Antiarrhythmic Drugs in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

By: Rachel Hines | Posted on: May 16, 2023

As a medical professional, you're likely aware of the challenges associated with treating out-of-hospital cardiac arrest patients who experience non-shockable rhythms that turn into shockable rhythms. The Amiodarone, Lidocaine or Placebo Study (ALPS) was a landmark study that evaluated the effectiveness of the most commonly used antiarrhythmics in cardiac arrest scenarios including this specific situation. One of the most important aspects of this study is that this is the first time that the effectiveness of the two most commonly used antiarrhythmics were studied in real patient cardiac arrest compared to placebo.

The study involved over 3,000 patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who initially presented with non-shockable rhythms but were later found to have shockable rhythms. Patients were randomized to receive either amiodarone, lidocaine, or placebo in addition to standard resuscitation procedures.

The results of the study showed no significant difference in survival to hospital admission, survival to hospital discharge, or neurologically intact survival between the three groups. However, patients who received amiodarone had a higher incidence of hypotension compared to those who received lidocaine or placebo.

The findings of the ALPS study suggest that the use of antiarrhythmic drugs may not be effective in improving survival outcomes for patients with non-shockable-turned-shockable out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. However, it's important to note that these drugs may still be useful in certain situations, such as patients with refractory ventricular fibrillation.

In conclusion, while the ALPS study provides important insights into the use of antiarrhythmic drugs in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, further research is needed to determine the optimal approach for treating these patients. As a medical professional, it's important to stay up to date on the latest research findings and continue to evaluate your treatment strategies accordingly.

Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5705566/

ALPS Study: Antiarrhythmics for Non-Shockable-Turned-Shockable OHCA