New hope for sufferers of cardiac arrest

People who suffer a cardiac arrest could be given new hope from a brain cooling technique.

New guidance published yesterday says the treatment, which is also used for some stroke patients, is safe and effective.

Therapeutic hypothermia in-volves cooling the brain to slow down the rate at which brain cells die once they have been starved of oxygen.

This has the potential to save lives and reduce brain damage, giving surgeons precious extra hours to help patients.

The unconscious person has their body temperature reduced from 37°C to between 32°C and 34°C soon after the cardiac arrest and for 12 to 24 hours afterwards.

This is done through a blanket or mattress filled with air or fluid, or a special cap.

Alongside the cooling, patients are given muscle relaxants to prevent shivering.

Once the treatment has finished, the person is warmed up gradually until their temperature returns to normal.

Some NHS units are already using the technique for people who have been resuscitated following cardiac arrest, such as after a heart attack.

But other units have been unsure of its benefits.

Now new guidance from the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) says the treatment works and is safe.

Last year, Nice published similar guidance on using the treatment for babies who have suffered oxygen deprivation at birth.

Scottish doctors have also had good results with cooling the brain of patients who have suffered a stroke.

The Nice guidance says therapeutic hypothermia can be considered as a treatment option for people who are at risk of brain injury after cardiac arrest.

Bruce Campbell, chair of the committee which produced the guidance for Nice, said: “The evidence shows that controlled cooling of selected patients who have suffered cardiac arrest can increase their chances of survival.

“The therapy can also reduce the risk of severe brain damage, which can occur when blood flow to the brain is disturbed.

“While the outcomes of therapeutic hypothermia seem to look promising, we still need to find out more about precisely which patients are most likely to benefit from its use.

“This is why we are encouraging further research in this area.”

Associate medical director of the British Heart Foundation, Mike Knapton, said: “This is good news as it should result in improved outcomes for survivors of cardiac arrest.”