Incidence and correlates of near-death experiences in a cardiac care unit

Near-death experiences (NDEs) are reported by 10% of patients who survive cardiac arrest, compared with 1% of other cardiac patients. Those who report NDEs tend to be younger, more likely to have lost consciousness, more likely to report prior paranormal experiences, and show greater approach-oriented death acceptance. However, NDEs are not associated with objective proximity to death, degree of cardiac dysfunction, or coronary prognosis. The findings suggest NDEs are not simply a function of how close a patient is to dying.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Near-death experiences, unusual experiences during a close brush with death, may precipitate pervasive attitudinal and behavior changes. The incidence and psychological correlates of such experiences, and their association with proximity to death, are unclear. We conducted a 30-month survey to identify near-death experiences in a tertiary care center cardiac inpatient service. In a consecutive sample of 1595 patients admitted to the cardiac inpatient service (mean age 63 years, 61% male), of whom 7% were admitted with cardiac arrest, patients who described near-death experiences were matched with comparison patients on diagnosis, gender, and age. Near-death experiences were reported by 10% of patients with cardiac arrest and 1% of other cardiac patients (P<.001). Near-death experiencers were younger than other patients (P=.001), were more likely to have lost consciousness (P<.001) and to report prior purportedly paranormal experiences (P=.009), and had greater approach-oriented death acceptance (P=.01). Near-death experiencers and comparison patients did not differ in sociodemographic variables, social support, quality of life, acceptance of their illness, cognitive function, capacity for physical activities, degree of cardiac dysfunction, objective proximity to death, or coronary prognosis.