CPR outcomes have not changed for hospital patients.

A recent study has found that the chance of survival after cardiac arrest and CPR in the hospital is about 18%. This rate of survival hasn’t changed over the last decade. One would think that being in a hospital should improve the chance of surviving but it has not. Men, older patients and those from a nursing home had an even lower chance of survival. African Americans had a lower survival rate when compared to Caucasians.

Outpatient rates of survival after CPR have improved substantially; it is time for the hospitals to catch up. These rates beg the bigger question, however. Shouldn’t we be focusing on preventing the underlying diseases that result in cardiac arrest? It is time to push for changes in lifestyle that include diet and exercise. Preventive exams are all essential to catch and treat problems before they result in serious disease.