Plain-English translation of NCT05283850 on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗ · Source last updated · Translation generated · How we translate trials
Phase 3 — Testing in thousands of people, comparing the treatment against what doctors currently use. This is the last big step before approval.
This study is testing whether a specific combination of calcium chloride and half-normal saline (a type of IV fluid with lower salt content) may improve outcomes for patients experiencing pulseless electrical activity—a life-threatening form of cardiac arrest where the heart shows electrical activity but no pulse. Emergency responders in three fire-EMS systems will randomly give patients one of two treatments: calcium plus normal saline, or calcium plus half-normal saline. Neither the patient nor the paramedic will know which treatment is being given.
Pulseless electrical activity is a very serious form of cardiac arrest with very poor survival rates. Researchers believe that the combination of calcium and lower-sodium fluid may help restart the heart's contractions more effectively than the standard treatment currently used.
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If you experience cardiac arrest while EMS is treating you, paramedics will automatically enroll you in the study as part of your emergency care—you will not need to sign consent forms beforehand. You will receive one gram of calcium chloride intravenously, followed by up to 2 liters of IV fluid given rapidly through an IV line. The type of fluid (normal or half-normal saline) will be randomly selected by the paramedic from numbered, blinded bags, so neither you nor they will know which one you're receiving. You will also receive all standard cardiac arrest care and either post-arrest hospitalization or comfort care, depending on whether your heart restarts.
AI-generated summary from trial data · Jun 22, 2026 · Not medical advice
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