Repeated resuscitation: how lifesaving alters life tables.

How does saving lives a f fec t t h e f o r c e of mortality and l ifetable s ta t is t ics? How can t h e p r o g r e s s being made in reducing t h e f o r c e of mortality b e in te rp re ted in terms of lifesaving? How many times can a person e x p e c t t o have his or h e r life saved as a resu l t of th i s p rogress? W e develop a model t o answer these questions and i l lus t ra te t h e resu l t s using U.S. mortality rates f o r 1900 and 1980 and as projected f o r 2050.