The Particulars: In recent years, physician-induced hypothermia has been used to improve outcomes following cardiac arrest. Little is known about the impact of age and other predictors on survival following this intervention.
Data Breakdown: A comparison of older and younger patients who underwent standardized hypothermia after cardiac arrest was performed in a study. Patients aged 65 and younger were less likely than older individuals to have a cardiac cause for arrest during hypothermia. They were also less likely to have hypotension and bradycardia during hypothermia. Also, urgent cardiac catheterization was more common among elderly patients.
Take Home Pearls: Patients aged 65 and younger appear to have better survival rates after undergoing hypothermia after cardiac arrest. Among elderly patients, survival after hypothermia post-cardiac arrest appears to be lower after urgent cardiac catheterization.
