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Cheating Death: The Doctors and Medical Miracles that Are Saving Lives Against All Odds Audiobook
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(3.09) - 346 listener ratings
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An unborn baby with a fatal heart defect . . . a skier submerged for an hour in a frozen Norwegian lake . . . a comatose brain surgery patient whom doctors have declared a "vegetable."
Twenty years ago all of them would have been given up for dead, with no realistic hope for survival. But today, thanks to incredible new medical advances, each of these individuals is alive and well . . . Cheating Death.
In this riveting book, Dr. Sanjay Gupta-neurosurgeon, chief medical correspondent for CNN, and bestselling author-chronicles the almost unbelievable science that has made these seemingly miraculous recoveries possible. A bold new breed of doctors has achieved amazing rescues by refusing to accept that any life is irretrievably lost. Extended cardiac arrest, "brain death," not breathing for over an hour-all these conditions used to be considered inevitably fatal, but they no longer are. Today, revolutionary advances are blurring the traditional line between life and death in fascinating ways.
Drawing on real-life stories and using his unprecedented access to the latest medical research, Dr. Gupta dramatically presents exciting accounts of how pioneering physicians and researchers are altering our understanding of how the human body functions when it comes to survival-and why more and more patients who once would have died are now alive. From experiments with therapeutic hypothermia to save comatose stroke or heart attack victims to lifesaving operations in utero to the study of animal hibernation to help wounded soldiers on far-off battlefields, these remarkable case histories transform and enrich all our assumptions about the true nature of death and life.
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"I thought that this book was a fascinating look at promising medical interventions with gripping real-life modern "miracles" used as examples. I especially enjoyed the first couple of chapters which focused on the use of medically induced hypothermia to slow down brain injury following cardiac arrest and strokes, and also on new information regarding the relative futility of CPR and simple measures that, if used instead, could save many lives of those suffering from cardiac arrest. This book is very accessible and readable to the layperson, like myself. I would give it 4 1/2 stars and would highly recommend it to anyone! I couldn't put it down."
— Mary (4 out of 5 stars)
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“I owe my recovery and my health to medical advances and the remarkable pioneers behind them. In his new book, the World’s Doctor, Sanjay Gupta, delivers a breathtaking preview of a coming revolution in medicine that challenges virtually everything we think we know about living and dying. A truly provocative and fascinating reading experience.”
— Bill Clinton -
“You will be on the edge of your seat as you read the superbly crafted stories of people who have beaten the odds, something I like to think I know quite a bit about. My friend Dr. Sanjay Gupta, America’s doctor, has written a page-turner. It’s an exciting medical thriller with the compassion, hope, excitement and aspiration that define Sanjay.”
— Lance Armstrong -
“Dr. Gupta’s new book is not only fascinating, it reads like a fast-paced adventure story, and it is. Full of literally heart-stopping moments, Cheating Death is an account of modern-day scientific miracles, most of which would have been unthinkable a decade or two ago, and which expand the very boundaries of life itself.”
— Oliver Sacks, New York Times bestselling author -
“‘Let me tell you a little secret: When the heart stops beating, it’s not the end.’ If you can read that sentence and not devour the rest of Cheating Death, you’re probably not breathing.”
— O, The Oprah Magazine -
“High-profile physician-journalist Gupta…knows a great story when he hears one, and in this collection he rolls out extraordinarily harrowing and inspiring tales from the annals of they-ought-to-be-dead…It’s beyond comforting to know there are doctors who simply refuse to quit a brave but ultimately losing battle to wrestle control over death.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“Dr. Gupta has masterfully woven compelling human stories and medical drama that intersect that narrow line separating life from death. The brave doctors who courageously defy conventional wisdom and embrace bold science and the human condition will have you cheering and shaking your head in amazement.”
— Nancy L. Snyderman, MD, NBC News Chief Medical Editor; Associate Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pennsylvania -
“In Cheating Death, Dr. Sanjay Gupta chronicles a series of scientific advances that are saving patients’ lives in striking and almost unfathomable ways. This is a wonderful book…All who read it will walk away feeling a sense of joy in the changes that Dr. Gupta so carefully and warmly details.”
— Henry S. Friedman, MD, James B. Powell Jr. Professor of Neuro-Oncology; Deputy Director, the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center -
“Sanjay Gupta melds dramatic stories of people on the cusp of death rescued by life-saving advances. This book deeply touches the heart and enlightens the mind.”
— Jerome Groopman, MD, Recanati Professor, Harvard Medical School, author of How Doctors Think
Awards
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A New York Times bestseller
Cheating Death Listener Reviews
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" Very interesting look at longevity and how doctors save lives in new and innovative ways. "
— Melissa, 2/2/2014 -
" Interesting but not exactly what I was looking for. Sometimes I think you just DON'T do everything. "
— Perkimom, 1/29/2014 -
" Incredible read!! This book appeals to the AP bio teacher in me but would be interesting to most people with any interest in science technology. "
— Stephanie, 1/21/2014 -
" Written in laymen's terms, good updates on science and health. "
— Marge, 1/18/2014 -
" An engaging book with good stories. "
— Beili, 1/4/2014 -
" Loved this book. It's great to read about all the medical and technological advances, but also to read a scientist's take on miracles and the next life. Great reading. "
— Nicole, 12/31/2013 -
" After seeing Dr.Gupta nearly every night on CNN, I knew that I needed to pick up this book when I saw it on the shelf. I'm not particularly interested in the medical field, but some of the things in this book are astonishing. The medical field is definitely advancing, and the miracles that take place are simply amazing. One thing I really appreciated is that the book is in fairly simple terms, so that someone who doesn't know much about the field can easily understand what's going on. Gupta is clearly a very talented doctor, and is wonderful at telling the stories that take place within his field. "
— BrieAnna, 12/29/2013 -
" This wasn't what I expected. I hoped it was more story, less description of science experiments. "
— Marianne, 12/26/2013 -
" Fascinating and easy to read update on how life saving medical science continues to advance. What we used to consider dead ... not so much. Included great discussion of the emotional and ethical dilemmas that come along with these breakthroughs. "
— Stu, 12/23/2013 -
" The stories were amazing, I just could never find myself really getting into this book. This really surprised me because I love this genre. "
— Amy, 10/26/2013 -
" Fascinating how things that can save a life for very little $$ are the hardest practices to get implemented. Dr. Gupta presents some interesting ideas and is a great story teller. "
— Tanya, 10/18/2013 -
" This book was so good...poses provocative questions on a number of important medical/ethical/spiritual issues that relate to life and death and the very fine line that separates the two... "
— Sue, 9/21/2013 -
" Really interesting book with a lot of anecdotal evidence about medical treatments. Might not be as interesting if you aren't into medicine... "
— Karen, 9/14/2013 -
" An interesting read, but it really gets into the medical details, so may not be the book for everyone. "
— Jeff, 9/10/2013 -
" Engaging stories of successful resuscitations and the implications. Being involved in this field, it's easy for me to lose sight of how wondrous it really is. Gupta illustrates just how blurry the line between life and death has become. "
— Mark, 6/22/2013 -
" Fun look at new advances in medicine--it's amazing to see how simple adjustments in standard practice can improve longevity! "
— Sheralyn, 5/28/2013 -
" For the most part this was an interesting read. I saw part of the show on CNN previewing the book and was intrigued. I like that Dr. Gupta doesn't pretend to have all the answers. Really make you think about the line between life and death. "
— Sherri, 2/7/2013 -
" Very interesting book. I like reading about some of the medical breakthroughs happening today. "
— Jessie, 12/16/2012 -
" Fascinating book. The people's stories read like fiction. Very interesting and informing. It makes you wonder why these methods aren't being used everywhere to save people. "
— Bf710, 11/11/2012 -
" Very interesting. Makes me wonder if they couldn't stop my heart long enough to replace the aortic valve with no possibility of sending "junk" to me brain. "
— Jim, 10/11/2012 -
" I really enjoy a good book written my an MD--love the medical stories. I always wonder if something I read will help me if one of needs medical attention some day. Problem will be my terrible memory! "
— Alice, 8/9/2012 -
" I learned so much interesting medical facts. But too much dramatic distractions, IMHO. "
— Anedya, 5/18/2012 -
" this is a very interesting book, i learned lots that i didn't know. "
— Gale, 7/18/2011 -
" This book is our book club choice, and I wasn't sure it was going to be my style, but it was actually really interesting. It's comparable to a medical version of Malcom Gladwell type books. I hope the medical community will respond to this and make better choices to be able to "cheat death." "
— Colleen, 5/17/2011 -
" Quite interesting; easy read "
— Andreia, 4/10/2011 -
" Very interesting look at longevity and how doctors save lives in new and innovative ways. "
— Melissa, 1/26/2011 -
" What an interesting book! Quick read about modern advances to the life-saving techniques used in medicine. "
— Jennafer, 9/17/2010 -
" The stories were amazing, I just could never find myself really getting into this book. This really surprised me because I love this genre. "
— Amy, 6/26/2010 -
" Really interesting book with a lot of anecdotal evidence about medical treatments. Might not be as interesting if you aren't into medicine... "
— Karen, 5/20/2010 -
" Fascinating how things that can save a life for very little $$ are the hardest practices to get implemented. Dr. Gupta presents some interesting ideas and is a great story teller. "
— Tanya, 4/18/2010 -
" Very interesting. Medical science is doing amazing things to allow people who under the same circumstances 10 years ago would have died. As a former colleague once commented "Science is a lot of cool stuff." "
— Cheryl, 4/10/2010 -
" Very interesting book. I like reading about some of the medical breakthroughs happening today. "
— Jessie, 2/10/2010 -
" I really enjoy a good book written my an MD--love the medical stories. I always wonder if something I read will help me if one of needs medical attention some day. Problem will be my terrible memory! "
— Alice, 1/5/2010 -
" Incredible read!! This book appeals to the AP bio teacher in me but would be interesting to most people with any interest in science technology. "
— Stephanie, 1/4/2010 -
" Excellent read by an excellent author. Scientific yet written in layperson's language. Recommended. "
— John, 12/28/2009
About Sanjay Gupta
Sanjay Gupta, MD, is a practicing neurosurgeon at Emory University Hospital and associate chief of service at Grady Memorial Hospital. A columnist for Time magazine and a chief medical correspondent at CNN, he lives in Atlanta, Georgia.