Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
(CPR) - Key Information for Patients awareness
Pic Source: Science Photo Library This post covers below questions with the interest of Patient information
1) What cardiopulmonary resuscitation
(CPR) is ?
Cardiopulmonary arrest means that a
person’s heart and breathing has stopped.
When this happens it is sometimes possible
to restart their heart and breathing with an
emergency treatment called CPR.
CPR can include:
• repeatedly pushing down very firmly on
the chest
• using electric shocks to try to restart the
heart
• ‘mouth-to-mouth’ breathing; and
• artificially inflating the lungs through a
mask over the nose and mouth or a tube
inserted into the windpipe
2) How decisions about CPR are made ?
CPR is most often used in emergency
situations, for example if you have a serious
injury or suffer a heart attack.
However,
CPR is not always automatically used; this
depends on the circumstances and the
doctor’s estimate of how likely it is to work.
If you are already very seriously ill and
nearing the end of life, there may be no
benefit in trying to revive you.
In this case,
CPR may not be attempted.
CPR will not be used if you have said in
advance that you do not wish to receive
it.
The information in this leaflet has been
written to help you to decide whether or
not you want to make this decision. It is
important to remember that your relatives,
friends or carers cannot make this decision
for you
3) Does CPR always work?
The chances of CPR restarting your heart
and breathing will depend on:
• why your heart and breathing have
stopped
• any illness or medical problems you have
(or have had in the past)
• the overall condition of your health.
When CPR is attempted in a hospital it
is successful in restarting the heart and
breathing in about 4 out of 10 patients.
However only about 2 out of 10 patients
survive long enough to leave hospital.
The figures are much lower for patients
with serious underlying conditions and for
those not in hospital.
It is important to remember that these
figures only give a general picture and not
a definite prediction of what you personally
can expect. Everybody is different and
your healthcare team will explain how CPR
might affect you
4. Can CPR ever be harmful?
The techniques used to start your heart
and breathing sometimes cause side
effects, for example, bruising, fractured
ribs and punctured lungs.
Attempts at
CPR do not always restart the heart and
breathing despite the best efforts of all
concerned. Success depends on why your
heart and breathing stopped, and on your
general health. It also depends on how
quickly your heart and breathing can be
restarted.
People who are revived are often still very
unwell and need more treatment, usually
in a coronary care or intensive care unit.
Some patients make a full recovery; some
recover but have health problems. Some
people never get back the level of physical
or mental health they previously enjoyed.
Some have brain damage or go into a
coma. People with many medical problems
are less likely to make a full recovery
5. Can I decide in advance that I
DON’T want to have CPR if my
heart or breathing stops?
If you know that you do not want CPR,
you can inform your doctor, who will
ensure that your decision is respected. You
may also find it useful to make a living will
(also known as an Advance Decision) to
document your wishes. If you have a living
will, you should let your healthcare team
know about it so they can keep a copy of it
in your healthcare records. You should also
let the people close to you know so they
are aware of your wishes.
6. Can I decide in advance that I
DO want to have CPR if my heart
or breathing stops?
If you think you would like to have CPR,
then it is a good idea to discuss this with
your doctor and make sure that they
know your views.
However, CPR will
only be given if the doctor believes it is
clinically appropriate. This will depend
on your current state of health and other
underlying medical problems.
Your doctor
can explain the chances of CPR being
effective in your case.
If there is a chance that CPR could restart
your heart and breathing but it is likely
to leave you severely ill or disabled, your
opinion about whether these chances are
worth taking are very important. Your
doctor will listen to your opinions and, if
you choose to involve them, the opinions
of your family, carers and friends.
If you disagree with your doctors opinion
about whether CPR is appropriate for you,
you can ask for a second opinion. You can
also seek mediation or counselling or use
the formal complaints procedure.
Source: NHS East of England