Objective: To conduct an analysis of literature that examines whether the use of prehospital therapeutic hypothermia (TH) results in significant changes in neurologic outcomes that are in adults that experienced out of hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Methods: Systematic searches were conducted through PubMed at the James Madison University Library. The inclusion criteria included human adults who experienced out of hospital cardiac arrest and were treated by Emergency Medical Services (EMS) with and/or without prehospital TH by means of intravenous cold fluids and surface cooling. Results: Three studies involving 2180 cases were included. This review indicated that prehospital TH after cardiac arrest had similar effects on neurological outcome when compared to in-hospital therapeutic hypothermia. The only effect noted was that prehospital cooling decreased the amount of time to reach a targeted temperature while in hospital. Conclusion: A statistically significant difference was not found between the use of prehospital TH versus in hospital TH
