LONG-TERM PROGNOSIS FOR PATIENTS RESUSCITATED AFTER CARDIAC ARREST - A FOLLOW-UP STUDY

This paper reports on both short- and long-term results in the management of cardiac arrest (CA) in 161 patients, 95 of whom had acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Thirty-eight of the 161 patients were discharged from hospital, 25 of whom belonged to the group with AMI. A 7 month to 6 year follow-up study was performed, and it was stated that 11 (44 per cent) of the 25 discharged patients with AMI survived for more than 7 months in a functional state corresponding to functional class I or II, whereas 14 died during the first year or survived in poor health corresponding to functional class III or IV. In the thirty-eight patients who had been discharged after CA resuscitation procedures (including external cardiac massage and artificial ventilation) had to be continued for more than 20 minutes up to 3 1 2hours before spontaneous heart action was restored, but at the follow-up only one of these patients showed definite signs of intellectual reduction whereas an anxiety neurosis had developed in another patient. © 1969.