'Realistic portrayals of CPR' such as this one by the British Heart Foundation?!?! - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILxjxfB4zNk *sigh* <stomps off into the sunset>
On Thu, Apr 25, 2013 at 11:34 PM, glen <g...@ropella.name> wrote: > siddharth wrote at 04/25/2013 10:16 AM: > > Unrelated to the main topic here, but all the talk of DNR et al reminded > > me of this article earlier this week - > > http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22154552 . > > Hmmm. > > Thanks. That's definitely relevant. But the trouble with that article > (and most, actually) is the purely positive results reported. Here's > one that _seems_ more objective. A practical first step might be to > push for more realistic portrayals of CPR in the media. > > > CPR: Less Effective Than You Might Think > > http://www.intelihealth.com/IH/ihtIH/WSIHW000/35320/35323/372221.html?d=dmtHMSContent > > > As opposed to many medical myths, researchers have reliable data > concerning the success rates of CPR (without the use of automatic > defibrillators) in a variety of settings: > > > > 2% to 30% effectiveness when administered outside of the hospital > > 6% to 15% for hospitalized patients > > Less than 5% for elderly victims with multiple medical problems > > > > In June 1996, the New England Journal of Medicine published a study > about the success rates of CPR as shown on the television medical shows > "ER," "Chicago Hope" and "Rescue 911." According to the shows, CPR > successfully revived the victim 75% of the time, more than double the most > conservative real-life estimates. A more recent study published in 2009 > suggested that the immediate success rate of CPR on television may be more > realistic; however, discharge from the hospital and longer-term survival > were rarely mentioned in TV dramas. In addition, while most CPR is actually > performed on sick, older individuals with cardiac disease, most victims in > television dramas are young and required CPR following trauma or a > near-drowning — conditions with the highest success rates. > > > > Finally, patients on TV shows usually die or fully recovered. In real > life, many of those who are revived by CPR wind up severely debilitated. > One reason may be that, as noted by a study published in the January 2005 > issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, CPR is frequently > not administered adequately, even when provided by trained ambulance > personnel. Improved technique (including more frequent and rapid > compressions, as recommended in the new guidelines) and use of automatic > defibrillators could dramatically improve success rates. > > > > The low success rate of CPR may be an example of how a medical myth is > perpetuated by the media because it is more appealing than the truth. > Unfortunately, sugar-coating the concept of CPR leads to unrealistic > expectations when a loved one requires CPR or is ill, and heroic measures > are under consideration. A better understanding of when CPR may be > effective and when it is highly unlikely to help will better serve everyone > in the unfortunate event of catastrophic illness or injury. If you learn to > administer CPR, you may save someone's life, so learning the proper > technique is worth the effort. However, you should not expect the results > you see on television. > > > -- > =><= glen e. p. ropella > And I'm never gonna tell you why > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com >
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