Among patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, administration of sodium nitrite, compared with placebo, did not significantly improve survival to hospital admission. These findings do not support the use of sodium nitrite during resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

Double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2 randomized clinical trial including 1,502 adults in King County, Washington, with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest from ventricular fibrillation or nonventricular fibrillation.

Among 1,502 patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who were randomized (mean age, 64 years [SD, 17 years]; 34% were women), 99% completed the trial.

Overall, 205 patients (41%) in the 45 mg of sodium nitrite group and 212 patients (43%) in the 60 mg of sodium nitrite group compared with 218 patients (44%) in the placebo group survived to hospital admission; the mean difference for the 45-mg dose vs placebo was −2.9% and the mean difference for the 60-mg dose vs placebo was −1.3%.

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