Quick cooling after cardiac arrest questioned
For a decade, doctors have made hypothermia standard practice
By Laura Beil
DALLAS — Chilling the body after cardiac arrest has become a common practice to protect a blood-starved brain and heart from the rush of oxygen that comes with the resumption of normal cardiac rhythms. But studies presented November 17 during the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions call into question doctors’ recommendations on induced hypothermia and cast doubt on the necessity of a quick cooldown.
About 300,000 Americans suffer from cardiac arrest each year, and 80 percent of them die. Of those who survive, half are left with brain damage, which occurs when the heart starts beating again and a sudden rush of blood into oxygen-starved tissues triggers an avalanche of treacherous biochemical reactions.