Quality of Life in Cardiac Arrest Recovery
Post–cardiac arrest care is increasingly structured around survivorship, with standardized patient-reported assessments supporting multidisciplinary follow-up.
By
Kathryn Wighton
February 19, 2026
Clinical Scorecard: Quality of Life in Cardiac Arrest Recovery
At a Glance
Category Detail
Condition In-hospital and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest recovery Key Mechanisms Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) linked to long-term survival Target Population Survivors of in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) Care Setting Post-cardiac arrest recovery in clinical settings
Key Highlights
Poor HRQOL scores (11-25) linked to over twice the mortality risk in IHCA survivors No significant mortality association for HRQOL scores (6-10) in IHCA survivors Continuous HRQOL measures indicate increasing mortality risk with poorer self-reported health Depressive symptoms negatively impact long-term survival in IHCA survivors High missing data rates raise concerns about generalizability Guideline-Based Recommendations
Diagnosis
Assess HRQOL using the EuroQoL 5-dimension 5-level tool 3 to 6 months post-arrest Management
Consider HRQOL scores in follow-up care planning for cardiac arrest survivors Monitoring & Follow-up
Monitor changes in HRQOL over time to guide recovery strategies Risks
Be aware of increased mortality risk associated with poor HRQOL scores Patient & Prescribing Data
Adult survivors of IHCA or EMS-treated OHCA
HRQOL assessment may inform individualized recovery plans
Clinical Best Practices
Utilize standardized follow-up questionnaires to evaluate HRQOL Address depressive symptoms in post-cardiac arrest care Related Resources & Content
