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Sheree B. Lipkis, MD
Highland Park, Ill

JAMA. 1994;271(10):748.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.

—The recent article entitled "Predicting the Outcome of Unsuccessful Prehospital Advanced Cardiac Life Support" by Kellermann et al¹ prompted this letter. I am a physician who happened to be in my parents' Memphis, Tenn, home the night of my father's cardiac arrest, April 9, 1993.

Kellermann et al state that "on-line emergency medical service physicians should authorize paramedics to cease efforts in the field" (referring to patients who fail to respond to prehospital advanced cardiac life support [ACLS]).¹ The night my father became ill, I called 911 and requested help for my very dyspneic father who had a history of heart disease. He subsequently arrested, and I began cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) prior to the paramedics' arrival. However, because the paramedics were unavailable (they were out on another call), firefighters arrived. They checked his vital signs (he regained a pulse) and administered oxygen. Unfortunately, he soon . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

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