EMSA May Induce Hypothermia To Help Save Cardiac Arrest Patients

NewsOn6.com

TULSA, OK -- Well you may think it's pretty cold outside but EMSA is using induced hypothermia to save lives.

They say it is a better way to treat cardiac arrest patients. Paramedics apply ice packs and pump chilled saline solution through patient's bodies.

EMSA says the goal is to make sure patients who survive cardiac arrest don't suffer brain damage too.  

Michael Kisler of EMSA said, "It actually, in hopes, of getting people out of the hospital, walking, neurological intact and back to their regular life like they had before."

EMSA says the technique lowers the body temperature about 10 degrees, so the brain uses less oxygen.           

It's a process that's being performed in some hospitals but is just now being used by paramedics.