When is CPR not of benefit?

One approach to defining benefit examines the probability of an intervention leading to a desirable outcome. CPR has been prospectively evaluated in a wide variety of clinical situations. Knowledge of the probability of success with CPR could be used to determine its futility. For instance, CPR has been shown to be have a 0% probability of success in the following clinical circumstances:

• Septic shock
  
• Acute stroke
  
• Metastatic cancer
  
• Severe pneumonia
  

In other clinical situations, survival from CPR is extremely limited:

• Hypotension (2% survival)
  
• Renal failure (3%)
  
• AIDS (2%)
  
• Homebound lifestyle (4%)
  
• Age greater than 70 (4% survival to discharge from hospital)