Object: to determine if a semistructured interview would enable elderly patients to give adequately informed consent for cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Method: one hundred consecutive patients admitted to Wakari assessment and rehabilitation unit for the elderly, who satisfied study criteria, were randomly allocated to receive a detailed discussion on CPR or to act as controls. Subsequently knowledge about CPR was tested in both groups.
Results: of the 49 study subjects, 27 (55%) wished to have CPR in the event of a cardiac arrest. After the interview knowledge about the CPR was significantly better in the study group than the controls, but there was still a lack of appreciation of the possible complications and an overly optimistic view of the likely outcome.
Conclusions: careful explanation of the procedures involved in CPR does increase knowledge and assist in making an informed decision. However, the decision may still be based on poor understanding of the likely outcome and possible complications.