[Hypothermia after cardiac arrest--underused method that saves lives]

Cardiorespiratory arrest causes ischemia and lesion of all organ systems, but the central nervous system is the most vulnerable. It is known that only few minutes of hypoperfusion and ischemia can cause irreversible damage to the brain which is the major frustration of reanimatology. Results of clinical trials suggest positive effects of hypothermia on survival and neurological recovery which led to including this method to Guidelines for resuscitation as a recommended standard method in post-resuscitation period for patients who have not regained consciousness. Methods for induction and maintenance of hypothermia are numerous and various, basically divided into invasive and non-invasive, each with its own advantages and disadvantages which are described in this paper. Despite recognised positive effects of mild therapeutic hypothermia after resuscitation from cardiac arrest, the method is not fully implemented as a standard method in post-resuscitation period.