Minneapolis Heart Institute joins international therapeutic hypothermia effort

[Cardiovascular Business, September 10, 2010] Therapeutic hypothermia helps reduce neurologic deficits in those resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. However, many questions remain regarding optimal delivery. Six U.S. heart centers will add to the growing body of evidence as they join an international registry.

The announcement was made today by Michael Mooney, MD, of the Minneapolis Heart Institute, at the Miracle on Ice 2010: Therapeutic Hypothermia for Cardiac Arrest Patients meeting in Minneapolis.

The six centers developed nearly 100 new cardiology-specific data points to be used by the International Cardiac Arrest Network's (INTCAR) registry and have joined the international organization in order to produce clinical data that will help guide treatment. The hope also is to encourage the 85 percent of U.S. hospitals that presently do not offer therapeutic hypothermia to adopt the technique.