Age-specific prognostication after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest – The ethical dilemma between ‘life-sustaining treatment’ and ‘the right to die’ in the elderly

Background: While prognostic values on survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest have been well investigated, less attention has been paid to their age-specific relevance. Therefore, we aimed to identify suitable age-specific early prognostication in elderly patients suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in order to reduce the burden of unnecessary treatment and harm. Methods: In a prospective population-based observational trial on individuals suffering out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, a total of 2223 patients receiving resuscitation attempts by the local emergency medical service in Vienna, Austria, were enrolled. Patients were stratified according to age as follows: young and middle-aged individuals (85 years). Results: There was an increasing rate of 30-day mortality (+21.8%, p