Some research needs in defibrillation and CPR.

The Fourth Purdue Conference on Cardiac Defibrillation and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation identified needed defibrillation research, including an appropriate animal model, threshold validity, effects of polarity, and an easy-to-operate defibrillator. CPR research needs include better protocols, hemodynamics and survival studies, the role of pulmonary edema, re-examination of sudden death, and transchest pacing.