No One Is Dead Until Cold and Dead

In a large, nationwide study, therapeutic hypothermia was initiated in only 2% of patients with return of spontaneous circulation after in-hospital cardiac arrest.

In 2002, mild therapeutic hypothermia was reported to improve outcomes in comatose patients with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with initial rhythm of ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia (JW Emerg Med Mar 27 2002). In 2003, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation recommended consideration of therapeutic hypothermia for in-hospital cardiac arrest. To determine how often therapeutic hypothermia was initiated for in-hospital arrest, researchers reviewed data from the American Heart Association's Get With the Guidelines–Resuscitation registry from 2003 to 2009, with participation from 538 hospitals.

Of 67,498 patients with ROSC after in-hospital cardiac arrest,…

Reviewing Author

Kristi L. Koenig, MD, FACEP, FIFEM

Disclosures

Editorial boardsKoenig & Schultz's Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices

Kristi L. Koenig, MD, FACEP, FIFEM

Disclosures

Editorial boardsKoenig & Schultz's Disaster Medicine: Comprehensive Principles and Practices