Near-death experiences after cardiac arrest: a scoping review
Discover Mental Health May 28, 2024 Joshua G. Kovoor, Sanjana Santhosh, Brandon Stretton et al. 4 citations
Near-death experiences may occur in more than one-third of patients who survive cardiac arrest, according to a scoping review of 11 prospective studies from various countries. The incidence ranged from 6.3% to 39.3%, varying between in-hospital (6.3–39.3%) and out-of-hospital (18.9–21.2%) cardiac arrest. Reported content of these experiences often reflected the language of the questionnaires used rather than participants' own words. Three studies that conducted follow-up all suggested a positive life attitude change, but one found significantly higher 30-day all-cause mortality in patients with near-death experiences versus those without, in non-controlled analysis. Lasting effects may be confounded by clinical characteristics.