Which airway method helps adults during a hospital cardiac arrest

Hospital Airway Resuscitation Trial

NIH-funded research Albert Einstein College of Medicine · NIH-11399459

This compares two airway approaches—endotracheal intubation versus a supraglottic airway—for adults who have a cardiac arrest in the hospital.

Quick facts

Grant typeNIH-funded research
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionAlbert Einstein College of Medicine NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Bronx, United States)
Project IDNIH-11399459 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

If you have a cardiac arrest while in the hospital, this project compares two ways clinicians manage your airway: placing a breathing tube through the voice box (endotracheal intubation) or using a simpler device that sits above the vocal cords (supraglottic airway). Hospitals are assigned to use one approach as part of usual emergency care, so the choice is made quickly during resuscitation by trained providers. The team will collect information on survival, brain function after recovery, and other outcomes from patients treated at participating hospitals. The design is pragmatic, meaning it follows routine care processes to see which approach works better in real-world hospital settings.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults (age 21 and older) who suffer a cardiac arrest while admitted to a participating hospital and need advanced airway management are the intended candidates.

Not a fit: Children, people whose arrest happens outside the hospital, or patients who do not require advanced airway intervention are not eligible and would not benefit from enrolling.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help doctors choose the airway method that improves survival and brain recovery after in-hospital cardiac arrest.

How similar studies have performed: Previous out-of-hospital trials suggested supraglottic airways may be as good or better than intubation, but there is no randomized evidence specifically from in-hospital cardiac arrests.

Where this research is happening

Bronx, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.