Resuscitation 48 (2001) 149 – 156 A qualitative and quantitative study of the incidence, features and aetiology of near death experiences in cardiac arrest survivors Sam Parnia a, *, D.G. Waller a , R. Yeates a , P. Fenwick b a Uniersity Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, Tremona Road, Southampton SO16 6YD, UK b Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London S.E.58AZ, UK Received 12 July 2000; received in revised form 21 August 2000; accepted 29 August 2000 Abstract Aim: To carry out a prospective study of cardiac arrest survivors to understand the qualitative features as well as incidence, and possible aetiology of near death experiences (NDEs) in this group of patients. Method: All survivors of cardiac arrests during a 1 year period were interviewed within a week of their arrest, regarding memories of their unconscious period. Reported memories were assessed by the Greyson NDE Scale. The postulated role of physiological, psychological and transcendental factors were studied. Physiological parameters such as oxygen status were extracted from the medical notes. Patients’ religious convictions were documented in the interviews and hidden targets were used to test the transcendental theories on potential out of body claims. Those with memories were compared to those without memories. Results: 11.1% of 63 survivors reported memories. The majority had NDE features. There appeared to be no differences on all physiological measured parameters apart from partial pressure of oxygen during the arrest which was higher in the NDE group. Conclusions: Memories are rare after resuscitation from cardiac arrest. The majority of those that are reported have features of NDE and are pleasant. The occurrence of NDE during cardiac arrest raises questions about the possible relationship between the mind and the brain. Further large-scale studies are needed to understand the aetiology and true significance of NDE. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Cardiac arrest; Death; Near death experiences Resumo Objectio: Levar a cabo um estudo prospectivo em sobreviventes de paragem cardı ´aca para compreender as caracterı ´sticas qualitativas dos episo ´ dios de morte eminente assim como avaliar, neste grupo de doentes, a sua incide ˆncia e possı ´vel etiologia. Me ´todo: Para avaliar as recordac ¸o ˜es do perı ´odo de inconscie ˆncia, durante o perı ´odo de um ano foram entrevistados todos os sobreviventes, na semana que se seguiu a ` paragem cardı ´aca. As recordac ¸o ˜ es relatadas foram avaliadas pela escala de episo ´dios de morte eminente de Greyson. Foram estudados os papeis postulados de diversos factores psicolo ´ gicos, fisiolo ´ gicos e transcenden- tais. Para ˆmetros fisiolo ˆ gicos, como oxigenac ¸a ˜o, foram obtidos dos registos me ´dicos. Foram documentadas as convic ¸o ˜ es religiosas dos doentes, e foram usadas nas entrevistas questo ˜ es escondidas para testar as teorias transcendentais de potenciais recordac ¸o ˜es de separac ¸a ˜o do corpo. Foram comparados os doentes que apresentavam recordac ¸o ˜es com os que na ˜o as apresentavam. Resultados: 11.1% de 63 sobreviventes relataram recordac ¸o ˜ es. A maioria tivera caracterı ´sticas de episo ´ dios de morte eminente. Na ˜o pareceram existir diferenc ¸as em todos os para ˆmetros fisiolo ´ gico medidos, a ` excepc ¸a ˜o da pressa ˜o parcial de oxige ´nio durante a paragem, que era mais elevada no grupo com episo ´ dios de morte eminente. Concluso ˜es: As recordac ¸o ˜es sa ˜o raras apo ´s ressuscitac ¸a ˜o de paragem cardı ´aca. A maioria daquelas que foram relatadas tiveram caracterı ´sticas de episo ´ dios de morte eminente e foram agrada ´veis. A ocorre ˆncia de episo ´ dios de morte eminente durante a paragem cardı ´aca levanta questo ˜ es acerca da possı ´vel relac ¸a ˜o entre os ce ´rebro e espı ´rito. Sa ˜o necessa ´rios mais estudos e em maior escala, para compreender a etiologia e o verdadeiro significado dos episo ´ dios de morte eminente. © 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. Todos os direitos reservados. Palaras chae: Paragem cardı ´aca; Morte; Episo ´ dio de morte eminente www.elsevier.com/locate/resuscitation * Corresponding author. Tel.: +44-23-80794155; fax: +44-23-80701771. E-mail address: parnis@soton.ac.uk (S. Parnia). 0300-9572/01/$ - see front matter © 2001 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved. PII:S0300-9572(00)00328-2