Thoughts on recent articles on cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Comments were made on some thought-provoking articles, which included articles that dealt with cardiac arrest (CA). Two articles on CA elaborate on the role of automated compression devices to provide chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in "hostile" environments and on a predictive model in cases of out-of-hospital CA (OHCA). CPR after CA has been practiced for centuries, and the evolution until current modern-day practices are discussed. The delay in adopting efficient techniques of resuscitation by the medical community for decades is also touched upon. Both in-hospital and OHCA are discussed along with guidelines and strategies to improve outcomes. Areas of possible research in the future are mentioned.