Resuscitation in the Elderly: A Blessing or a Curse?

Editorials1 August 1989Resuscitation in the Elderly: A Blessing or a Curse?Philip J. Podrid, MDPhilip J. Podrid, MDSearch for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-111-3-193 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptSudden cardiac death accounts for 400 000 to 600 000 deaths each year in the United States, and these numbers have not improved despite the many advances in cardiology. Unfortunately, most cases of sudden cardiac death occur out of the hospital and only a small number of patients survive to be admitted to a hospital (1). In a study of 352 patients, Myerberg and coworkers (2) reported that 33% of patients with an out-of-hospital arrest were admitted to a hospital, but only 19% were subsequently discharged. Studies from the Seattle Heart Watch Program emphasized that the survival rate is improved...References1. Kannel W, Doyle J, and McNamara P. Survivors of sudden coronary death. Factors related to the incidence of sudden death. Circulation. 1975;51:606-13. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar2. Myerberg R, Conde L, and Jung R. Clinical, electrophysiologic and hemodynamic profile of patients resuscitated from prehospital cardiac arrest. Am J Med. 1980;68:568-76. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Thompson R, Hallstrom A, and Cobb L. Bystander-initiated cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the management of ventricular fibrillation. Ann Intern Med. 1979;90:737-40. LinkGoogle Scholar4. Eisenberg M, Copass M, and Hallstrom A. Treatment of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests with rapid defibrillation by emergency medical technicians. N Engl J Med. 1980;302:1379-83. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Myerberg R, Zaman L, and Luceri R. Clinical characteristics of sudden death: implications for survival. In: Josephson ME, ed. Sudden Cardiac Death. Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Co.; 1985:107-17. Google Scholar6. Murphy D, Murray A, Robinson R, and Campion E. Outcome of cardiopulmonary (resuscitation) in the elderly. Ann Intern Med. 1989;111:199-205. LinkGoogle Scholar7. Pratt C, Frances M, Luck J, Wyndham C, Miller R, and Quinones M. Analysis of ambulatory electrocardiograms in 15 patients during spontaneous ventricular fibrillation with special reference to preceding arrhythmic events. J Am Coll Cardiol. 1983;2:789-97. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar8. Adgey A, Scott M, Allen J, Nelson P, Geddes J, and Zaidi S. Management of ventricular fibrillation outside hospital. Lancet. 1969;1:1169-71. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar9. Salerno D, Hodges M, Graham E, Asinger R, and Mikell F. Fatal cardiac arrest during continuous ambulatory monitoring [Letter]. N Engl J Med. 1981;305:700. CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar10. Iseri L, Humphrey S, and Siner E. Prehospital brady-asystole cardiac arrest. Ann Intern Med. 1978;88:741-5. LinkGoogle Scholar This content is PDF only. To continue reading please click on the PDF icon. Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Philip J. Podrid, MDAffiliations: Boston University School of Medicine Boston, Massachusetts Nextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Metrics Cited byAge discrimination in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest care: a case-control studyEvolution of Survival in Cardiac Arrest with Age in Elderly Patients: Is Resuscitation a Dead End?Age-specific prognostication after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest – The ethical dilemma between ‘life-sustaining treatment’ and ‘the right to die’ in the elderlyAnalysis of the Performance for Bystanders’ Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in Geriatric and Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrested PatientsThe Factors Influencing Survival of Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest with Cardiac EtiologyOut-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the elderly: A large-scale population-based studyOut-of-hospital cardiac arrests in older age groupsFive-year survival of patients after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest depending on ageOut-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the older age groups in Melbourne, AustraliaEthical Issues in Registry Research: In-Hospital Resuscitation as a Case StudyPDM volume 18 issue 2 Cover and Back matterResuscitation for Patients with Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: SingaporeTermination of resuscitation: the art of clinical decision makingAvoiding the futility of resuscitationDoes Advanced Age Matter in Outcomes after Out-of-hospital Cardiac Arrest in Community-dwelling Adults ?Resuscitation in the hospital: Differential relationships between age and survival across rhythmsWishes regarding the use of life-sustaining treatments among elderly persons in Israel: An explanatory modelWhen Are Resuscitation Attempts Futile?Values and Outcomes: The Ethical Implications of Multiple MeaningsPredicting survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a multivariate analysisResuscitation decisions in the elderly: a discussion of current thinking.Behavior, attitudes, and expectations regarding the use of life-sustaining treatments among physicians in Israel: An exploratory studyResuscitating the elderly: what do the patients want?In-hospital resuscitation among the elderly: Substantial survival to hospital dischargeHigh Technology Therapies and Older PeopleFamily caregiving for older persons in the homeSurvival After In-Hospital Cardiopulmonary Arrest of Noncritically Ill PatientsExpected death and unwanted resuscitation in the prehospital settingCardiopulmonary ResuscitationGeriatric Emergency CareOutcome of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and predictors of resuscitation status in an urban community teaching hospitalETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND CPR IN THE ELDERLY PATIENTInfluence of age on the survival rate of out-of-hospital and in-hospital resuscitationReducing Health Care Costs by Reducing the Need and Demand for Medical ServicesSuspending do-not-resuscitate orders during anesthesia and surgeryDeath in America: A Clinician’s PerspectiveSurvival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: Effects of patient age and presence of 911 emergency medical services phone accessOut-of-hospital resuscitation preferences of emergency health care workersPoor Outcome of On-site CPR in a Multi-Level Geriatric Facility: Three and a Half Years Experience at the Baycrest Centre for Geriatric CareResuscitation attitudes among medical personnel: How much do we really want to be done?Hospice and the Do-Not-Resuscitate OrderCardiopulmonary resuscitation: Lessons from the pastUse of Life-Sustaining Care for the ElderlyThe Do-Not-Resuscitate Order: Ethical and Legal Imperative or Medical Decision?Does the DNR Patient Belong in the ICU?Withdrawing and Withholding Therapy: Putting Ethics into PracticeCardiopulmonary ResuscitationRose A. Gates, RN, MSN, Robert H. Gates, MDCardiopulmonary Resuscitation of Elderly PersonsHarold Rosen, MD 1 August 1989Volume 111, Issue 3Page: 193-195KeywordsElderlyHeart rateLongitudinal studiesResuscitationSudden cardiac death ePublished: 1 December 2008 Issue Published: 1 August 1989 PDF downloadLoading ...