A predictive model for survival after in-hospital cardiopulmonary arrest.

Background: In-hospital cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has seen a steady increase in the application of technology and techniques since the introduction of closed cardiac massage in 1960. Despite this progress, there has not been a demonstrated improvement in survival rates after in-hospital cardiac arrest over the last 40 years. Identification of prognostic factors associated with survival after a resuscitation attempt can help physician decisions and patients' end-of-life choices in a pre-arrest situation.