Glasgow Coma Scale scores in the patient post cardiopulmonary resuscitation

This study was conducted to examine the difference in pre- and post-resuscitation Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores in patients who suffered a cardiopulmonary arrest. Patients who arrested in an acute hospital setting were compared in terms of Glasgow Coma Scale scores with patients who arrested outside an acute hospital setting. The subjects for this study were 39 patients who arrested in the hospital and 16 patients who arrested outside the hospital setting. Data were collected over a period of one year using chart review. The data for this study included: GCS scores at one, two, four, twelve, and twenty-four hours post-arrest; age of the subjects; sex; site of arrest; and etiology of arrest. Results indicated that hospitalized arrest subjects had significantly higher GCS scores than out-of-hospital arrest subjects. Results further indicated that younger patients and those with myocardial infarctions had significantly higher GCS scores post-arrest. This study has implications for serial neurological assessment of the patient post-arrest.