Annals of internal medicine
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Review Practice Guideline
Narrative review: cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care: review of the current guidelines.
Sudden cardiac death is a major clinical problem, causing 300,000 to 400,000 deaths annually and 63% of all cardiac deaths. Despite the overall decrease in cardiovascular mortality, the proportion of cardiovascular death from sudden cardiac death has remained constant. Survival rates among patients who have out-of-hospital cardiac arrest vary from 5% to 18%, depending on the presenting rhythm. ⋯ The compression-ventilation ratio has been changed from 15:2 to 30:2. This article is a contemporary review of the management of CPR and emergency cardiovascular care. It examines current practice and data supporting use of CPR, along with changes in the management of sudden cardiac death.