To be resuscitated or not: the concepts in decision making

The aim of this article is to provide an overview of the available scientific evidence to support decisions to withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation in hospitals. The decision to perform resuscitation or not is a complex one that requires consideration of a number of factors, including patient preference and patient clinical status. The three fundamental questions that must be answered in making an informed decision about whether to attempt resuscitation are discussed and the evidence used to answer them is presented.