Active not recruitingNAINTERVENTIONAL

The PulsePoint Study

The PulsePoint Study is investigating if a phone app can make a real difference during a sudden heart attack that happens outside a hospital in a public place. When someone has a sudden heart attack, their heart stops pumping blood. This is a very serious medical emergency. This study wants to see if sending alerts to trained volunteers nearby, using the PulsePoint app, helps more people get immediate CPR (cardiac pulmonary resuscitation) or use a defibrillator before paramedics arrive. Half of these types of emergencies will trigger an app alert, and half will follow standard procedures. The goal is to compare the two methods and understand if the app can help save more lives by getting help to people faster.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Phase

Sponsor

Dr. Steven Brooks

Enrolment target

340

Start

08 Jun 2021

Estimated completion

30 Jun 2026

Out-Of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Heart Arrest Heart Diseases Cardiovascular Diseases

What is this study about?

Imagine someone suddenly collapses in a public place because their heart has stopped – this is called an 'out-of-hospital cardiac arrest'. It's a very serious medical emergency, and getting help quickly can make a huge difference to their chances of survival. Currently, not enough people get immediate help like CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) or have a nearby defibrillator used on them before paramedics arrive.

This study, called The PulsePoint Study, is looking into whether a smartphone app called PulsePoint can help change this. The app works by sending an alert to trained volunteers who are close by when a 999 call comes in for a suspected heart attack in a public place. These volunteers could then go and help by giving CPR or finding a public defibrillator while paramedics are on their way.

The researchers want to see if using this app leads to more people getting immediate help compared to the usual emergency response system. They are doing this by randomly assigning half of these emergency calls to also send out PulsePoint alerts (the 'treatment group'), while the other half will just use the standard emergency procedures (the 'control group'). By comparing the results, they hope to learn if the PulsePoint app can significantly increase the chances of someone getting life-saving help quickly, which could ultimately save more lives.

Key takeaways

The study assesses if the PulsePoint app improves emergency response for public heart attacks.
It aims to increase bystander CPR and defibrillator use before paramedics arrive.
Half of eligible 999 calls will trigger a PulsePoint alert, and half won't, for comparison.
The study focuses on heart attacks in public places, not homes or hospitals.
Results could help decide if PulsePoint should be used more widely to save lives.

Who may be eligible?

This study is focused on people who have a sudden heart attack (cardiac arrest) outside of a hospital, in a public location. The emergency services (like 999 in the UK) must be called and treat the person.

However, it's important to know that not all heart attacks fit the study's criteria. For example, if the heart attack was caused by a serious injury (like a car crash) or happened in a dangerous situation, the person would not be included. Also, heart attacks that happen in places like care homes or hospitals are not part of this study, as the focus is on public locations.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Did the heart attack happen outside a hospital?
Did it happen in a public place?
Were the emergency services (like 999) called and did they treat the person?
Was the cardiac arrest NOT caused by a serious injury (like an accident)?
Did it NOT happen in a dangerous situation (as decided by the 999 call-taker)?
Did it NOT happen in a care home or hospital?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

This study is not asking individuals to sign up directly. Instead, it's looking at how emergency services respond to certain situations. If you were to have a sudden heart attack in a public place, you would automatically be included in the study depending on how the 999 call is handled – either your situation would trigger a PulsePoint alert to nearby volunteers, or it wouldn't. You wouldn't need to do anything or fill out any forms. The study only collects information about the care given at the scene. There are no additional visits, assessments, or medications involved for the person experiencing the heart attack related to this study.

Potential risks and benefits

The main benefit hoped for from this study is that it could lead to more timely help for people having a sudden heart attack in public places, potentially saving more lives. For individuals involved in such an emergency, this might mean receiving CPR or defibrillator use sooner. The risks for individuals are very low, as the study simply observes and compares existing emergency response methods. People who are part of the study (meaning, if you happen to have a cardiac arrest in a public place during the study period) cannot choose to 'withdraw' or 'not participate' in the study's data collection, as it's about evaluating the system as a whole rather than direct patient involvement with consent.

Locations (2)

Columbus Division of Fire
Verified postcode
Columbus, United States
British Columbia Emergency Health Services
Verified postcode
Vancouver, Canada

Common questions

What is a 'cardiac arrest'?

A cardiac arrest is when your heart suddenly stops beating. It's different from a heart attack, where blood flow to the heart is blocked. A cardiac arrest needs immediate help.

What is the PulsePoint app?

It's a smartphone app that can alert trained volunteers nearby when someone has a suspected heart attack in a public place. It also shows where the closest public defibrillator is.

What is a 'defibrillator'?

A defibrillator is a medical device that can give an electric shock to the heart to help it start beating normally again during a cardiac arrest.

Who is this study for?

This study is for people who have a sudden heart attack in a public place, and the emergency services are called. It's about how emergency services respond, not about individual volunteers signing up.

Will I know if I'm part of the study?

If you had a cardiac arrest during the study, you wouldn't be aware during the emergency. The study looks at general patterns of care, not individual consent for that moment.