Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the elderly: patients' and relatives' views

Journal of Medical Ethics 21 (1):39-44 (1995)
  Copy   BIBTEX

Abstract

One hundred inpatients on an acute hospital elderly care unit and 43 of their relatives were interviewed shortly before hospital discharge. Eighty per cent of elderly patients and their relatives were aware of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Television drama was their main source of information. Patients and relatives overestimated the effectiveness of CPR. Eighty-six per cent of patients were willing to be routinely consulted by doctors about their own CPR status, but relatives were less enthusiastic about routine consultation. Patients' and relatives' views about the appropriateness of CPR did not differ significantly. Seventeen percent of patients did not desire CPR. However, 64 per cent of patients were ultimately willing to follow their doctor's advice about the appropriateness of CPR. The conclusion reached is that mentally competent, elderly patients but not their relatives should be routinely consulted about their own desire for CPR in order to avoid resuscitating patients against their wishes. Further research is required to find out how patients would feel about resuscitation if they were terminally ill or chronically confused, and how carers would feel about resuscitating such patients

Other Versions

No versions found

Links

PhilArchive



    Upload a copy of this work     Papers currently archived: 100,752

External links

Setup an account with your affiliations in order to access resources via your University's proxy server

Through your library

Similar books and articles

Resuscitation and senility: a study of patients' opinions.G. S. Robertson - 1993 - Journal of Medical Ethics 19 (2):104-107.
The value of taking an 'ethics history'.G. M. Sayers - 2001 - Journal of Medical Ethics 27 (2):114-117.

Analytics

Added to PP
2010-09-13

Downloads
36 (#624,854)

6 months
8 (#574,086)

Historical graph of downloads
How can I increase my downloads?