Milwaukee ROCS ALPS Trial

Amiodarone, Lidocaine, Placebo (ALPS)

What is the purpose of the ALPS study?
To determine whether the use of certain heart rhythm medications (Amiodarone and Lidocaine) will improve the chance of patients surviving to hospital discharge following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to abnormal heart rhythms. Over 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur each year in the United States. Of those, less than 10% survive. Patients with an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to these abnormal heart rhythms are randomly assigned (like flipping a coin) to receive Amiodarone, Lidocaine, or Placebo (made up of salt water).

For more information on the ALPS study, please view the press release by the National Institute of Health.

How is the ALPS study being conducted in Milwaukee?
ROC ALPS research is being conducted by the Medical College of WI’s Resuscitation Research Center in partnership with the Milwaukee County Emergency Medical Services. The paramedics of MCEMS will enroll patients who have a cardiac arrest, meet the ALPS eligibility criteria, and who are not wearing an opt-out bracelet. Since these patients will not be able to provide informed consent because they are unconscious and require immediate treatment, this study is being conducted under the Exception From Informed Consent guidelines by the Food and Drug Administration.

View more information about Exception From Informed Consent research.

If you would like to opt-out of the ALPS study, view the Opt-Out information.

Public Notices
ALPS Intermediate Public Announcement (PDF)
ALPS Risk Benefit Public Announcement (PDF)

Contact Us

RRC@mcw.edu | (414) 805-6493

FDA Requirements for Research Conducted Under Emergency Circumstances
Opt-Out
Cardiac Arrest FAQs (PDF)
Common Myths About Cardiac Arrest (PDF)