October 8, 2003 – People with cardiac arrest have a better quality of life if, at the time of the incident, a witness was able to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) maneuvers, Canadian researchers say.
In a study published in the journal Circulation1, scientists affiliated with the Ottawa Health Research Institute reveal that they have studied the physical and psychological well-being of 268 patients who have suffered cardiac arrest. They found that those who received CPR treatments were twice as likely as others to have a very good quality of life.
This finding clearly shows that victims of cardiac arrest do not automatically suffer serious brain damage that impairs their quality of life.
The 268 patients studied were drawn from a larger pool of 8,000 people hospitalized in Ontario between 1995 and 2000 after cardiac arrest. Of this number, just 14% had been able to rely on CPR treatment administered by a passer-by.
Scientists have known for a while that a five to ten minute “window” opens after cardiac arrest, within which treatment will need to be provided to maximize the victim’s chances of survival. It was already known that the rapid intervention of rescuers trained in CPR increased the chances of survival of the victim by about 30%, but this is the first time that the quality of life of survivors has been examined.
Researchers deplore that too few people are trained in CPR, even though we know that simple actions, within everyone’s reach, can save lives.
Jean-Benoit Legault – PasseportSanté.net
According to Reuters Health, WebMD and Globe and Mail; October 6, 2003.
1. Stiell I, Nichol G, Wells G, De Maio V, Nesbitt L, Blackburn J, Spaite D. Health-Related Quality of Life Is Better for Cardiac Arrest Survivors Who Received Citizen Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. Circulation 2003 Oct 6 [Epub ahead of print].
