This procedure involves surgically opening the patient's chest and breaking the ribs so that the heart can be directly massaged. Yet, some resuscitative procedures for elderly persons can be complicated by age-associated illness or physiological changes such as osteoporosis, cataracts, arthritis, and altered metabolism and may increase risk of complications. The purpose of cardiopulmonary resuscitation is the prevention of sudden, unexpected death. Still, CPR is not indicated in certain situations, such as in cases of terminal, irreversible illness where death is not unexpected or where prolonged cardiac arrest dictates the futility of resuscitation efforts. Resuscitation decisions vary from individual to individual, factors that are frequently involved include the clinical indicators of the chance of success, as well as the patient's mental status.
Resuscitation can deliver a person from the brink of death.
It can restore a person to his or her prior lifestyle within a few weeks, with only bruises and soreness as reminders of the ordeal. However, for most patients, the outcome of CPR is not so positive. Most patients who die following resuscitation do so within the first few days. Some patients die despite repeated resuscitation over a period of hours. Some who are successfully resuscitated face a long, difficult recovery, and some never resume their normal daily activities.