Background 

In Sweden, most out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) occur in private residences and nursing homes. Although studies suggest that nursing home staff appear hesitant to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) before ambulance staff arrive, it is unknown whether treatment and outcomes among those who suffer OHCA in nursing homes differ from private residences. The aim of the study was to describe OHCA occurrence, treatment, and 30-day survival in people aged 65 years or older in Swedish nursing homes, in comparison with private residences.

Methods 

This retrospective registry study utilized data from the Swedish Register of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation from 1992 to 2022. The study included 59 459 OHCAs. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics, complemented with generalized linear models.

Results 

The number of OHCAs was 56 379 in private residences and 3 080 in nursing homes. While the occurrence of OHCA increased in private residences it remained stable in nursing homes. The overall survival rate in people suffering OHCA in living facilities was 4.4% during the 31-year study period. There was an advantage of 1.0% in 30-days survival for private residences in the unadjusted analyses (p < 0.001), while the adjusted longitudinal model displayed a positive trend in annual survival odds in both private residences (5.6%) and in nursing homes (3.5%), with no difference between the groups (p = 0.207).

Conclusions 

In this registry study, 30-day survival in nursing homes and private residences was similar and improved in both settings. These findings suggest that the location of OHCA is not the primary determinant of survival. Resuscitation decisions should be guided by careful consideration of the patient’s medical condition, frailty, andpersonal preferences. Future initiatives might include strengthening emergency preparedness in nursing homes while supporting ethically justified and patient-centred shared decision-making.