Therapeutic hypothermia after cardiac arrest
Therapeutic hypothermia in selected patients surviving sudden out-of-hospital cardiac arrest can significantly improve rates of long-term survival and is considered as one of the most important clinical advancements in the science of resuscitation. Since 2003 the American Heart Association/International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation guidelines endorsed the use of hypothermic therapies as standard care for patients suffering from cardiac arrest while in 2005 additional inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied to patients experiencing in or out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with an initial shockable and non shockable rhythm. The goals of treatment in 2015 include achieving targeted temperature as quickly as possible with immediate initiation of cooling methods accompanied with supportive therapy and controlled rewarming.