Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Excerpt

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a life-saving technique used during cardiac arrest to maintain blood flow and oxygenation to vital organs until spontaneous circulation can be restored. The modern approach to CPR originated from the pioneering work of several clinicians in the 1950s and has since evolved into the standard practice we follow today. In North America, the American Heart Association (AHA) issued the most widely accepted guidelines, which are published every 5 years following the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) meeting.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 356,000 individuals in the United States experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest every year. Of these cases, approximately 60% to 80% result in sudden death due to the abrupt cessation of organized cardiac function.

Ventricular fibrillation is the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest in adults. Although advances in emergency cardiac care have improved survival rates, sudden cardiac arrest remains a leading cause of death worldwide. As of 2022, cardiac disease continues to be the leading cause of death in the United States.

Approximately 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases occur at home, and 50% of these incidents are unwitnessed. Despite improvements in emergency medical services, overall survival rates remain low. Among adults with nontraumatic out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who receive resuscitation attempts from emergency responders, the survival rate to hospital discharge is only 10.8%. In contrast, adults who experience cardiac arrest in a hospital setting have a significantly higher survival rate, with up to 25.5% surviving to discharge.