Research on CPR outcomes yields new information

The Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association (PCHPCA) has announced that a review of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) outcome research indicates that the benefits of receiving CPR are complicated.

CPR is the process of attempting to restore a person’s heartbeat and breathing after one or both have stopped. The goal is to restore a heartbeat and breathing before serious neurological damage occurs.

“It is important for people to be informed about CPR outcomes when completing advance healthcare directives such as a living will,” PCHPCA director Elaine Peck said.

Peck reported that survival rates after a CPR intervention vary depending upon the age and health condition of the individual and the location where CPR is administered. She stated that CPR administered outside of a hospital setting has a poorer prognosis.

In addition, Peck pointed to research cited by the National Institute of Health that the functional capacity of CPR survivors varies, with only three percent to seven percent able to return to their previous level of functioning.

The American Heart Association reports that the majority of cardiac arrest survivors have some degree of brain injury and impaired consciousness, and that some remain in a persistent vegetative state.

Time is vitally important when a person is not receiving oxygenated blood to the brain. Brain damage begins after only four minutes without oxygen. After five to 10 minutes, a person is likely to suffer serious and irreversible brain damage.

In addition to brain damage, patients who are given CPR may experience broken ribs and organ damage. This is especially true for older persons with weakened bones due to osteoporosis and the aging process.

The Putnam County Hospice and Palliative Care Association is a nonprofit, charitable organization that has joined national, state and community efforts to increase the quality of the end-of-life experience for patients, loved ones, caregivers and the health-care community in Putnam County.

For additional information, contact Director Elaine Peck at contact.us@pchpca.org or visit www.pchpca.org.