title: [Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in cancer patients: experience of an intensive care unit in a cancer center].
abstract: The goal of this study was to determine the effectiveness and potential indications of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in medical cancer patients. A retrospective analysis of the records of patients admitted between November 1985 and January 1992 in the medical ICU of a cancer hospital and having had cardiac arrest was performed. Cardiac arrest occurred in 49 cancer patients. CPR was successful in 19 (39%), but only 5 (10%) were discharged alive from the hospital. CPR was successful in all eight patients in which cardiac arrest was the consequence of an acute cardiovascular drug toxicity, even if cancer was metastatic and treatment intent not curative, while it was effective in only 25% of those in which cardiac arrest was an ultimate complication of various problems, like septic shock or respiratory failure complicating the neoplastic disease. In cancer as in other types of disease, CPR is mainly indicated when cardiac arrest is the consequence of and acute insult.
authors.affiliation: Service de médecine, Université libre de Bruxelles, Belgique.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sculier
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Markiewicz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000401:mortality; D012151:Resuscitation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents