Table 1.
Preferences for specific potentially life-sustaining treatments (in response to the hypothetical brain death scenario) in 1999 compared to preferences in 2002. Data from the Johns Hopkins Precursors Study (1999–2002). Numbers in parentheses are row percents, stratified by whether the interventions were desired in 1999.
| Desired intervention in 1999? | yes | yes | no | no |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desired intervention in 2002? | yes | no | yes | no |
| Cardiopulmonary resuscitation | ||||
| 27 (42) | 37 (58) | 48 (8) | 536 (92) | |
| Mechanical ventilation | ||||
| 33 (37) | 56 (63) | 55 (10) | 514 (90) | |
| Intravenous fluids | ||||
| 176 (65) | 95 (35) | 87 (23) | 296 (77) | |
| Feeding tube | ||||
| 84 (55) | 68 (45) | 65 (13) | 440 (87) | |
| Major surgery | ||||
| 56 (44) | 70 (56) | 87 (17) | 426 (83) | |
| Dialysis | ||||
| 41 (46) | 48 (54) | 62 (11) | 509 (89) | |
| Chemotherapy for cancer | ||||
| 45 (44) | 58 (56) | 66 (12) | 489 (88) | |
| Invasive diagnostic testing | ||||
| 78 (59) | 55 (41) | 84 (17) | 422 (83) | |
| Blood or blood products | ||||
| 106 (62) | 65 (38) | 90 (18) | 398 (82) | |
| Antibiotics | ||||
| 177 (69) | 78 (31) | 99 (25) | 302 (75) | |