Peter Safar
Peter Safar | |
---|---|
Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
Nationality | Austrian |
Alma mater | University of Vienna, Yale University, University of Pennsylvania |
Known for | Cardiopulmonary resuscitation |
Scientific career | |
Fields | Anesthesiology |
Peter Safar (12 April 1924 – 3 August 2003) was an Austrian anesthesiologist of Czech descent. He is credited with pioneering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).
Early life
Safar was born in
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
Together with
Other achievements
Safar's other achievements included the establishment of the
In 1970, Safar was among a group of 29 individuals meeting in Los Angeles, California who co-founded the Society of Critical Care Medicine. Dr. Safar served in 1971 as the Society's second president, following the founding president Dr. Max Harry Weil.
In 1976, Safar co-founded the World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine (WADEM), which is dedicated to saving lives in major disasters. He stepped down from the chairmanship of anesthesiology at the University of Pittsburgh and founded the International Resuscitation Research Center (now the University of Pittsburgh Safar Center for Resuscitation Research) in 1979, dedicated to cardiopulmonary cerebral resuscitation (CPCR).
With Nicholas Bircher he published a textbook on CPCR that became the international standard. In March 1989, he assembled an interdisciplinary team of researchers – composed of the following individuals: Miroslav Klain, M.D. (Anesthesiologist), Edmund Ricci, Ph. D. (Evaluation research), Ernesto A. Pretto, Jr., M.D. (Anesthesiologist), Joel Abrams, Ph.D. (Engineering), and Louise Comfort, Ph. D. (Social Science) – which became known as the University of Pittsburgh Disaster Reanimatology Study Group (DRSG). This research team in partnership with a team of Russian and Armenian physicians conducted the first international interdisciplinary disaster evaluation research field survey study of the earthquake in Armenia.[citation needed] The Armenia study led to a series of post-disaster field studies by the DRSG in Costa Rica (1991), Turkey (1993), and Japan (1994). These studies helped to establish the "Golden 24 Hours" of emergency response in disasters and inspired Norwegian anesthesiologist and humanitarian Dr. Knut Ole Sundnes to establish in 1995 the Task Force of Quality Control of Disaster Management (TFQCDM), under the auspices of the Nordic Society of Disaster Medicine and WADEM.[citation needed]
Safar practiced and taught clinical anesthesiology at Presbyterian University Hospital in Pittsburgh until the age of 65, but he continued his research activities until his death. His lifelong goal was to "save the hearts and brains of those too young to die" and to improve the life-saving potential in disasters, a field he called "Disaster Reanimatology."[citation needed] In 1990, he appointed Ernesto Pretto, M.D., as leader of the Disaster program.
In 1999, Safar was awarded the Cross of Honor, Austria's highest civilian honor, for his services in the field of medicine. He was nominated three times for the Nobel Prize in Medicine. On 13 September 2014, the Alliance of Germanic Societies of Pittsburgh honored him, as well.[9]
Death
Safar died on 3 August 2003 at his home
See also
References
- ^ Wright, Pearce (13 August 2003), "Peter Safar: Surgical pioneer of emergency life-saving methods", The Guardian.
- PMID 17262769.
- ^ "Peter Safar: Surviving the Nazis and starting over".
- PMID 13745343.
- ^ Petechuk, David (October 1999). "Time of death: Postponed". PittMed (University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Magazine). 1 (1): 22.
- ^ Srikameswaran, Anita (21 March 2002). "Dr. Peter Safar: A life devoted to cheating death". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
- ^ Staresinic, Chuck (February 2004). "Send Freedom House!" (PDF). PittMed. 6 (1): 32–34.
- ^ Karns, Jameson (15 October 2015). "Paramedics of Freedom House: Empowerment Through Paramedicine". EMS World.
- ^ "The Alliance of Germanic Societies of Pittsburgh Parade and Recognition Luncheon (2014) | Teutonia Männerchor in Pittsburgh (Deutschtown), PA". Archived from the original on 10 November 2014. Retrieved 28 January 2015."Dr. Peter Safar (1924–2003) was the very special honoree for his year. He was introduced by Robert Tate, President of the Austrian Society of Pittsburgh who lauded this Viennese born and educated Doctor for his life’s achievements in medicine. Dr. Safar has been honored world-wide for improvements in medical practice and advances in medical science. His achievements were wide ranging from the development of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation and as a founder of the nation’s first medical/surgical intensive care unit. Dr. Safar was chairman of the Anesthesiology Department, where he held the title of Distinguished Professor. In 1999, he was awarded the 'Cross of Honor', Austria’s highest civilian honor for his services in the field of medicine."
- ^ Srikameswaran, Anita (5 August 2003), "Obituary: Dr. Peter Safar / Renowned Pitt physician called 'father of CPR'", Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
- ^ "Dear Friends and Colleagues" (Press release). Safar Center for Resuscitation Research. 4 August 2003. Archived from the original on 8 October 2003. Retrieved 14 September 2009.
- ^ JOSÉ RAMÍREZ (6 August 2003). "Peter Safar, 'The Father Of C.P.R.,' Is Dead at 79". The New York Times. p. B 7. Retrieved 4 July 2023.
- Pretto, E. A.; P. Safar (1991). "National medical response to mass disasters in the United States. Are we prepared?". JAMA. 266 (9): 1259–62. PMID 1870252.
Further reading
- Acierno, L. J.; L. T. Worrell (January 2007). "Peter Safar: father of modern cardiopulmonary resuscitation". Clinical Cardiology. 30 (1): 52–4. PMID 17262769.
- Gunn, SW (March 2005). "The humanitarian imperative in disaster management--a memorial tribute to Professor Peter Safar". Prehospital and Disaster Medicine. 20 (2): 89–92. PMID 15898486.
- Weil, Max Harry; William C. Shoemaker (February 2004). "Pioneering contributions of Peter Safar to intensive care and the founding of the Society of Critical Care Medicine". Critical Care Medicine. 32 (2 Suppl): S8–10. PMID 15043226.
- Behringer, Wilhelm (February 2004). "Peter Safar — 'Vater der Wiederbelebung'" [Peter Safar--'father of resuscitation']. Wiener Klinische Wochenschrift (in German). 116 (3): 102–06. S2CID 26797464.
- Mosesso, V. N. Jr; P. M. Paris (January 2004). "A tribute to Peter Safar, MD: Physician, researcher, mentor, visionary, humanist". Prehospital Emergency Care. 8 (1): 76–9. S2CID 45875690.
- Martens, Patrick; Arsene Mullie (December 2003). "(Some of the) lessons learned from Peter Safar". European Journal of Emergency Medicine. 10 (4): 257. PMID 14676499.
- Crippen, D. (August 2003). "A eulogy: personal reflections on Dr. Peter Safar". MedGenMed. 5 (3): 27. PMID 14600663.
- Stoy, W; J. T. Grandey (October 2003). "Teacher, clinician ... Friend. Tributes to Peter Safar". JEMS. 28 (10): 20–04. PMID 14583698.
- Arnold, Jeffrey L.; Francesco Della Corte (September 2003). "International emergency medicine: recent trends and future challenges". European Journal of Emergency Medicine. 10 (3): 180–88. S2CID 24657128.
- Lenzer, Jeanne (2003). "Peter Josef Safar". BMJ. 327 (7415): 624. PMC 194106.
- Mitka, Mike (May 2003). "Peter J. Safar, MD: 'father of CPR,' innovator, teacher, humanist" (PDF). JAMA. 289 (19): 2485–6. PMID 12759308. Archived from the original(PDF) on 27 June 2008.