In a person whose heart is healthy, the functioning of the heart is intricately timed and orchestrated to supply the brain, lungs, body tissues, and organs with blood. Resuscitation offers a way to reverse the imminent threat to life. Although most people who suffer cardiac arrest are elderly, the nature and underlying causes of their arrest vary widely.
Ventricular fibrillation is the most frequent cause of death prior to hospital admission.
Asystole and electromechanical dissociation cause fewer cardiac arrests than arrhythmias. However, resuscitation consists of a wide array of procedures, often involving sophisticated and specialized techniques and equipment. 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.