[Ethics and the decision of cardiopulmonary resuscitation]

Following the guidelines of the Swiss Academy of Medical Science, most Swiss hospitals have implemented advanced directives that define what should be undertaken in case of cardiorespiratory arrest for every patient. This remains difficult to apply for physicians and difficult to understand for patients. From a medical perspective, some confusion occurs around medical directives. Difficulties include subjective misinterpretation of patient's quality of life, as well as decision making bias. In addition, patients overestimate the cardiopulmonary reanimation success rate, modify their choices with time and health status, and might lack their individual ability of discernment. Patient's autonomy must always be encouraged as long as it stays within the limits of medical indications.