Outcomes of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the elderly

Article Abstract:

The effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in elderly patients who suffered cardiac arrest was assessed. The characteristics of patients for whom resuscitation was effective were also evaluated. Among 503 patients, aged 70 years and older, who suffered cardiac arrest, resuscitation was successful in 112, although only 19 of the surviving patients were discharged from the hospital. Survival from cardiac arrest was poor among patients who suffered a cardiac arrest in the absence of a witness; patients without heart contraction; and patients with resuscitation requiring longer than 15 minutes. Among 244 patients who had a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital, only two were discharged from the hospital. Among 259 patients who suffered a cardiac arrest in the hospital, 17 survived to hospital discharge. Most surviving patients had ventricular arrhythmias or abnormal heart rhythms originating in the ventricle, had a witnessed arrest, had a vital sign detected at the onset of the arrest (such as breathing, blood pressure or a pulse), and were revived within minutes. Patients with impaired consciousness or function before the cardiac arrest had decreased chances of survival, compared with patients without these deficits. The results suggest that cardiopulmonary resuscitation is often ineffective in elderly patients with cardiac arrests occurring out of the hospital, in the absence of a witness, or associated with asystole, the complete absence of heart contraction. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Evaluation, Patient outcomes, Mortality, Demographic aspects, Cardiac arrest, Cardiac resuscitation

---

Linking Medicare and national survey data

Article Abstract:

Comparisons made between patient data collected by the Medicare Program and national patient population data may provide important information about health care provided to elderly patients covered by Medicare. Areas for potential research include comparisons of health care services available and used by the elderly and demographic characteristics. Some technical difficulties encountered with this type of research include inconsistent or inaccurate claim number use, fragmented medical histories, and resistance to inclusion in the data sets. Highlights of five available databases are presented.

Information services, Medicare, Centralized databases, Information storage and retrieval systems, Medical statistics

---

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Biased estimates of expected acute myocardial infarction mortality using MedisGroups admission severity groups
• Abstracts: Chimpanzees and human: not so close? Regional Variations in the Incidence of End-Stage Renal Failure in Japan
• Abstracts: Autologous blood donation - can we bank on it? Occupational exposure to blood among medical students. Risks to health care workers in developing countries
• Abstracts: Resuscitation in the elderly: a blessing or a curse? Restricted activity: key indiator of decline or "just having a bad day"?

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.