Cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the view of ethics and law

In all medical and surgical interventions, the main principle is to inform the patient of possible complications, side and adverse effects of the intervention and patient's acceptance with his/her own will. However, it is impossible to obey this ethical norm in attempting cardiopulmonary resuscitation. May a legal problem arise when the goals of health care providers and the patient and family members could not be overlapped? Have expected survey and quality of life influence on resuscitative efforts? In order to discuss legal and cultural norms in our country, which is still under discussion all over the world, we tried to summarize our own opinions about the patient's autonomy, principle of futility, termination of resuscitation, who should attempt resuscitation and relations with family members during resuscitation under current guidelines and literature. (Anadolu Kardiyol Derg 2008; 8: 374-8)