Acute stress symptoms following cardiac arrest: Result of a frightening near-death experience

• An NDE triggered acute stress symptoms and moderate-to-severe insomnia • Clinical symptoms were maintained by the patient’s distress and lack of understanding of the NDE phenomenon • Targeted education and validation of the NDE, combined with melatonin, led to a complete resolution of the psychological distress • This case highlights the therapeutic necessity of addressing NDE-related trauma in post-resuscitation care and elucidating what is known about this topic We present a case involving a 74-year-old male patient in cardiac arrest who had a frightening near-death experience (NDE) during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) attempts that lasted approximately 5 minutes. The patient developed acute stress symptoms and moderate-to-severe insomnia, which responded rapidly to validation and education concerning the phenomenon of NDEs, in conjunction with melatonin. This case illustrates the importance for clinicians of asking survivors of cardiac arrest whether they experienced an NDE and demonstrates the utilization of effective strategies for the reduction of resulting acute stress symptoms.