[To resuscitate or not? Discuss timely with all chronically ill patients].
In-hospital adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation is successful in only approximately 20% of cases and may result in permanent neurological damage. Two reasons justify not commencing resuscitation: either the patient does not want to be resuscitated, or resuscitation is considered medically futile by the doctor. This subject should be discussed timely with all chronically ill patients who are likely to be admitted to hospital, preferably in the outpatient clinic setting, and results must be communicated with all doctors involved (e.g. general practitioners). Here we describe 3 cases that demonstrate the need to discuss possible restrictions on cardiopulmonary resuscitation with all chronically ill patients, regardless of their age. The first was a 45-year-old HIV-positive male with chronic clinical depression who refused ICU care, the second a 75-year-old patient whose initial 'do no resuscitate' order was reversed based on the wishes of her daughter and the third a 45-year-old female with sickle cell disease who expressed a sustained wish not to be treated in the ICU or to be resuscitated.
Krediet
C T P Paul
CT
Academisch Medisch Centrum bij de universiteit van Amsterdam, afd. Interne Geneeskunde, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. c.t.krediet@amc.nl
Hoekstra
Joost B L
JB
Gevers
J K M Sjef
JK
Geerlings
Suzanne E
SE
D000368:Aged; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000523:psychology; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation / Q000523:psychology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011788:Quality of Life; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000523:psychology*; D016414:Resuscitation Orders / Q000523:psychology; D016312:Treatment Refusal / Q000523:psychology*