Part 3: Ethics

Technique for chest compressions in adult CPR

Chest compressions have saved the lives of countless patients in cardiac arrest as they generate a small but critical amount of blood flow to the heart and brain. This is achieved by direct cardiac massage as well as a thoracic pump mechanism. In order to optimize blood flow excellent chest compression technique is critical. Thus, the quality of the delivered chest compressions is a pivotal determinant of successful resuscitation. If a patient is found unresponsive without a definite pulse or normal breathing then the responder should assume that this patient is in cardiac arrest, activate the emergency response system and immediately start chest compressions. Contra-indications to starting chest compressions include a valid Do Not Attempt Resuscitation Order. Optimal technique for adult chest compressions includes positioning the patient supine, and pushing hard and fast over the center of the chest with the outstretched arms perpendicular to the patient's chest. The rate should be at least 100 compressions per minute and any interruptions should be minimized to achieve a minimum of 60 actually delivered compressions per minute. Aggressive rotation of compressors prevents decline of chest compression quality due to fatigue. Chest compressions are terminated following return of spontaneous circulation. Unconscious patients with normal breathing are placed in the recovery position. If there is no return of spontaneous circulation, then the decision to terminate chest compressions is based on the clinical judgment that the patient's cardiac arrest is unresponsive to treatment. Finally, it is important that family and patients' loved ones who witness chest compressions be treated with consideration and sensitivity.

Guidance for ambulance personnel on decisions and situations related to out-of-hospital CPR

Ethical guidelines on out-of-hospital cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) are designed to provide substantial guidance for the people who have to make decisions and deal with situations in the real world. The crucial question is whether it is possible to formulate practical guidelines that will make things somewhat easier for ambulance personnel. The aims of this article are to address the ethical aspects related to out-of-hospital CPR, primarily to decisions on not starting or terminating resuscitation attempts, using the views and experience of ambulance personnel as a starting point, and to summarise the key points in a practice guideline on the subject.

[Palliative medicine and advanced incurable illness]

Advanced incurable and life-threatening diseases of internal organs such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), heart failure, and terminal kidney failure are associated with considerable burden for the patients caused by pronounced symptoms (e.g., dyspnea, anxiety, depression) and unmet psychosocial needs. Nevertheless, in Germany addressing palliative medicine in the context of these disorders and co-treatment of these patients by cross-sector partnership with specialized palliative care physicians are not very developed. Against the background of an international perspective and current guidelines, general aspects of palliative care needs (symptom control, communication, advance care planning, etc.) are discussed together with the resultant implications for potential cooperation between internal medicine and palliative care as well as special aspects of the individual diseases (e.g., prognosis or implications of certain treatment options such as "automatic implantable cardioverter-defibrillator", AICD). Timely involvement of the specific expertise of palliative care medicine can ensure that the workload of the primary providers (and their teams) is reduced and better cross-sector management (hospital and home) of the severely ill patients and their families is achieved.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: early in-hospital hypotension versus out-of-hospital factors in predicting in-hospital mortality among those surviving to hospital admission

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of in-hospital hypotension in patients surviving to admission after resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and compare it to that of traditional Utstein factors in predicting in-hospital mortality.

METHODS

Single-center retrospective cohort of adult patients surviving to hospital admission after resuscitation from out-of-hospital sudden death between January 1, 2006 and October 31, 2009. Study variables included Utstein template data: age, sex, initial rhythm, witnessed or nonwitnessed arrest, presence or absence of bystander CPR, location of arrest, response time (time of 9-1-1 dispatch to first vehicle arrival), and hypotension (systolic pressure<90 or mean arterial pressure<60) within 24h of ROSC. Univariate comparisons of categorical variables were performed and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to compare continuous variables. Multivariable logistic regression was then performed after inclusion of Utstein variables.

RESULTS

73 patients met the inclusion criteria, and in-hospital mortality occurred in 54 (74%). On univariate analysis, in-hospital hypotension (OR=3.5, 95%CI 1.1-10.0, p=0.02), pre-hospital rhythm other than VF/VT (OR 4.3, 95%CI 1.4-13.3, p=0.008), and an unwitnessed arrest (OR=6.9, 95%CI 0.8-56.5, p=0.04), were significant predictors of in-hospital mortality. On multivariable analysis, in-hospital hypotension (OR=9.8, 95%CI 1.5, 63.0, p=0.02), pre-hospital rhythm other than VT/VF (OR=8.5, 95%CI 1.3-58.8, p=0.03), and lack of bystander CPR (OR=13.2, 95%CI 1.6-111, p=0.02) remained statistically significant predictors of in-hospital mortality.

CONCLUSIONS

In-hospital hypotension was predictive of mortality, as was a pre-hospital nonshockable rhythm and lack of bystander CPR. In contrast, traditional pre-hospital risk factors: age, gender, public location of arrest, response time, and witnessed arrest, were not predictive.