The 2013 ILCOR and 2010 American Heart Association guidelines support the use of cooling following resuscitation from cardiac arrest. These recommendations were largely based on two trials from 2002 which showed improved survival and brain function when cooled to  after cardiac arrest.
However, more recent research suggests that there is no benefit to cooling to  when compared with less aggressive cooling only to a near-normal temperature of ; it appears cooling is effective because it prevents fever, a common complication seen after cardiac arrest.  There is no difference in long term quality of life following mild compared to more severe cooling.
In children, following cardiac arrest, cooling does not appear useful as of 2018.