One of the most common side effects that can occur during CPR is nausea, which usually requires patients to clear their mouth. It happened in 16 out of 35 attempts in a study conducted in 1989.
Survival differences, based on prior illness, age or location
Despite the American Heart Association’s guidelines stating that a survival rate of less than 1% is useless, various groups have better survival rates. A study conducted in the US from 2001 to 2010 found that 10% of cancer patients, 12% of dialysis patients, 15% of blacks, and 17% of patients who live in nursing homes survived. On the other hand, for those with heart failure, the survival rate was only 19%.
A study conducted in 2015 revealed that about 40% of patients who underwent CPR survived for at least 30 days. The results of the study were based on the data collected from Swedish patients between 2007 and 2015.
A study conducted in the US from 1992 to 2005 revealed that among Medicare patients, the overall survival rate was 18%. Among those who were in the poorest neighborhoods, 13% survived, while those who were over 90 years old had a survival rate of 12%. In Sweden, the survival rate for patients who were 90 years old and above was 15%.
A study conducted in King County, Washington, from 1999 to 2003 revealed that about 34% of patients who survived outside hospitals survived to hospital discharge. Among those who had multiple medical conditions, 18% of them survived. On the other hand, 33% of those with two major medical conditions survived.
Various studies have also been conducted on the survival rate of nursing home residents. The results of these studies are analyzed annually by the CARES Registry, which is a national organization that monitors the effectiveness of CPR in improving the survival rate of patients. According to the organization’s data, the average survival rate in nursing homes and health care facilities that have automatic external defibrillators (AEDs) is double that of the average in other facilities.
In the US, the survival rate after CPR varies depending on the state. For instance, in Wyoming, it is at 40%, while in New York, it is at 20%. The rate of survival after CPR outside hospitals varies also significantly. In 2001, the survival rate in Seattle was at 45%, while in Omaha it was 3%.
The study only counted heart rhythms, which can respond to shocks. Some of the factors that can affect the timeliness of care are the lack of training and monitoring for staff members and the mismatch between the number of medical calls and the number of firefighters.