The cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines recommend identifying and correcting the underlying reversible causes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

However, it is uncertain how often these causes can be identified and treated.

Our aim was to estimate the frequency of point of care ultrasound examinations, blood sample analyses and cause-specific treatments during OHCA.

In our study, HEMS physicians deployed ultrasound or blood sample analyses in 84% of the encountered OHCA cases.

Cause-specific treatment was administered in 15% of the cases.

Our study demonstrates the frequent use of differential diagnostic tools and relatively infrequent use of cause-specific treatment during OHCA.

Effect on protocol for differential diagnostics should be evaluated for more efficient cause specific treatment during OHCA.

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