Recognizing the Deteriorating Patient Prior to Cardiac Arrest: Predictive Criteria and Risk Factors

Cardiac arrest is a common end point of various pathophysiological pathways. Out-of-hospital and in-hospital cardiac arrests have a similarly poor survival, although differences exist in terms of pathogenetic mechanisms and prognostic factors. There is time to recognize the deteriorating patient, especially in hospital. Early warning scores and systems that rely on physiological parameters present a window of opportunity for recognizing the deteriorating patient for early intervention. In order to prevent cardiac arrests and improve the subsequent survival, it is necessary to implement a rapid and effective chain of survival and to move from a reactive approach to a proactive one.