Reducing futile attempts at resuscitation
A recent review in the BMJ has drawn attention to major concerns about ‘Do Not Attempt Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation’ (DNACPR) forms.1 One of these concerns is with the distressing number of deaths that are surrounded by futile attempts at cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Such attempts occur for a number of reasons. Some patients with terminal illnesses, or who are elderly and frail, do not have a form, perhaps because their doctors were too busy or never got round to raising the issue. Other patients may have deteriorated very soon after admission, or more quickly than anyone expected, so that no-one had a chance to discuss their wishes with them in advance. A few patients may have refused consent to having DNACPR on their records because of their beliefs, in spite of having diseases likely to lead to death. In all these circumstances, doctors who are called at the time...
Source: Postgraduate Medical Journal - Category: Journals (General) Authors: Launer, J. Tags: On reflection Source Type: research