Most people do not survive CPR

According to a small U.S. study, many people do believe that cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is always successful in most cases than it is in reality.

This optimistic attitude which is in the mind of the majority may have been as a result of the influence of television medical dramas that broadcast happy outcomes of CPR, hence leading the viewers to decision-making and open conversation concerning the end of life care with the medical officers.

 What is the intention of CPR?

The intention of CRP is to restart a heart that has stopped pumping blood to the circulatory system (a heart that is not beating), a condition referred to as cardiac arrest and its main course had been identified to be an electrical disturbance  within the muscle of the heart.

Though heart attack also can make the heart to stop beating, cardiac arrest is not the same as heart attack, and it occurs when there is partially or completely blockage of blood that flows to the heart.

No matter what the cause of cardiac arrest is, it is very important to restart the heart as quickly as possible in order to make blood to flow to the brain. This is very essential since it will prevent permanent brain damage. More often, Cardiac arrest is known to result into severe neurological problems or even death.

What is the CPR survival rate in adults?

The overall adult CPR survival rate that leads to hospital discharge for an individual who suffers from cardiac arrest can be estimated to be at 10.6% as noted by the study author. But most people who took part in the study estimated it to be above 75%.

According to author Lindsey Oullette, a research assistant at Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine in Grand Rapids, a higher percentage of non-medical personnel and patients have a lot of expectations that are not realistic when it comes to the success of CPR and the quantity of life after reviving the patients.

Oullette added that patients and their families should be aware of the realistic rate of success and survival numbers when they have a living will in their plans, they should also consider a “Do Not Resuscitate” order.

This is a life-impacting decision, and when dealing with it, the latest and most accurate information should be used to decide whether to continue with GPR or not.

To gauge CPR perceptions, about 1,000 adults where surveyed by the researchers. The survey was conducted at four academic medical canters in California, Michigan and Illinois. Among the participants were non-critically ill patients and their families who had to be interviewed in a random hospital shifts.

Apart from questioning about general knowledge of CPR and personal experiences with CPR, the participants were presented with different scenarios several times and they were asked by the researchers to estimate the probability of CPR success and patient survival in each case.