Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Previous studies have demonstrated that the public maintains unrealistic expectations of the potential for successful recovery following administration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Others have attributed this phenomenon to misrepresentation of CPR outcomes on television and other sources of public information. ⋯ Regardless of the source, the public is not accurately informed about the effectiveness of CPR. This creates a situation in which people may elect CPR for themselves or for family members when survival, not to mention recovery, is unlikely. Without dissemination of realistic statistics regarding survival and recovery following CPR, the public will maintain unrealistic expectations of CPR, and be unable to make well-informed decisions concerning its use.
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This article is adapted from a presentation given at the 1999 SAEM annual meeting by Dr. Peter Safar. Dr. ⋯ Current controversies, such as how to best educate the public in life-supporting first aid, how to restore normotensive spontaneous circulation after cardiac arrest, how to rapidly induce mild hypothermia for cerebral protection, and how to minimize secondary insult after cerebral ischemia, are discussed, and must be resolved if advances are to be made. Dr. Safar also summarizes future technologies already under preliminary investigation, such as ultra-advanced life support for reversing prolonged cardiac arrest, extending the "golden hour" of shock tolerance, and suspended animation for delayed resuscitation.
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Editorial Historical Article
Happy anniversary, ABEM! American Board of Emergency Medicine.