Only in the West, as many as 400,000 Americans and 300,000 Europeans sustain cardiac arrest each year. Though the initial success of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is approximately 39%, the majority of victims die within 72 hours, due to the postresuscitation syndrome. Morbidity and mortality after successful CPR largely depend on recovery of neurologic function. As many as 30% of survivors of cardiac arrest, in fact, manifest permanent brain damage and in some instances only 2–12% of resuscitated patients have been discharged from hospital without neurological dysfunction. The mechanisms responsible for this poor outcome are not well understood, although several events related to the systemic ischemia that follows onset of cardiac arrest as well as the reintroduction of oxygenated blood after return of spontaneous circulation have been described. Knowledge and understanding of these conditions have led to the development of animal models, successful therapies, and novel tools to characterize these clinical conditions and provide better care to patients.

We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that will stimulate the continuing efforts to understand mechanisms contributing to cardiac arrest and CPR outcome, the development of new interventional strategies to improve resuscitation and post resuscitation survival with good functional outcome, new approach for evaluation and prediction of outcome, and different CPR training methodologies. We are particularly interested in articles directed to promote, share, and disseminate new experimental and clinical advances on resuscitation and postresuscitation care and CPR training. Specific attention is dedicated to evidence from experimental and clinical trials, controversial topics on resuscitation, and gold standard and experimental resuscitation and postresuscitation treatments and interventions.

Potential topics include, but are not limited to:

• Physiopathology of cardiac arrest, CPR, and postresuscitation syndrome
• Priority of intervention during CPR
• Quality of resuscitation
• Qechanical supports
• New defibrillation strategies
• Prevention of organ damage
• Postresuscitation care
• Hypothermia
• New pharmacological treatments
• Outcome of CPR and survival
• Organization models and integrated care systems
• Translational research
• Impact of CPR taining in the school