Hypothermia and cardiac arrest: the promise of intra-arrest cooling.
Over the past several years, the implementation of therapeutic hypothermia has provided an exciting opportunity toward improving survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. There are compelling data to support the prompt use of therapeutic hypothermia for initial survivors from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, but animal data have suggested that initiation of therapeutic hypothermia during the intra-arrest period may significantly improve outcomes even further. In the first feasibility study in humans, Bruel and colleagues report on the implementation of this intra-arrest approach among patients suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, an exciting prospect that is discussed in the present commentary.
Band
Roger A
RA
Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Ground Ravdin, Philadelphia PA 19104, USA.
Abella
Benjamin S
BS
D000368:Aged; D001831:Body Temperature; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome