Hands-Only CPR Can Save Lives
By: Jen Mueller,
SparkPeople Blogger
8/6/2010 6:21 AM
: 63 comments
: 14,289 Views
I’ve been CPR certified for a number of years. Thankfully I’ve never had to use the techniques I’ve learned, but it always makes me feel better knowing that I could attempt to save a life if it were needed. I’ll be honest; the thought of performing CPR on someone makes me very nervous. Would I remember the order of the steps? The right number of breaths to compressions? Could I stay calm enough to do what needed to be done? The American Heart Association is promoting new guidelines that will make it easier and safer for people to help during an emergency. Wouldn’t you like to learn how to help save a life?
Although the American Heart Association has been promoting the hands-only technique for the past two years, they aren’t sure how much it’s really caught on. Two new studies show that breathing into a victim’s mouth isn’t necessary in most cases, and chest compressions are what save lives. Both studies found that the survival rate between those who got traditional CPR and those who got only compressions were about the same.
Over 300,000 people suffer cardiac emergencies outside of hospitals each year. Sadly, only 6% of those people survive. “The larger of the two new studies (about 1,900 people) reported survival rates of about 12 percent when bystanders did dispatcher-directed CPR, confirming earlier research that on-scene CPR can dramatically increase a victim's odds of survival. One of the new studies found that when dispatchers told callers to start CPR, about 80 percent attempted it when given hands-only instructions, more than the 70 percent who tried the standard version.”
Of course it’s always good to call 911, but that’s not always what will help someone the most. Previous studies have found that adults who need CPR only get it a fraction of the time when witnesses are present. Although the odds still aren’t in their favor, I want to double the victim’s chances of survival by performing CPR until medical personnel arrive. That’s one reason I decided to become CPR certified.
Are you CPR certified? Would you be more likely to perform CPR if you only had to do chest compressions? How would you try to help if you witnessed a cardiac emergency?
Although the American Heart Association has been promoting the hands-only technique for the past two years, they aren’t sure how much it’s really caught on. Two new studies show that breathing into a victim’s mouth isn’t necessary in most cases, and chest compressions are what save lives. Both studies found that the survival rate between those who got traditional CPR and those who got only compressions were about the same.
Over 300,000 people suffer cardiac emergencies outside of hospitals each year. Sadly, only 6% of those people survive. “The larger of the two new studies (about 1,900 people) reported survival rates of about 12 percent when bystanders did dispatcher-directed CPR, confirming earlier research that on-scene CPR can dramatically increase a victim's odds of survival. One of the new studies found that when dispatchers told callers to start CPR, about 80 percent attempted it when given hands-only instructions, more than the 70 percent who tried the standard version.”
Of course it’s always good to call 911, but that’s not always what will help someone the most. Previous studies have found that adults who need CPR only get it a fraction of the time when witnesses are present. Although the odds still aren’t in their favor, I want to double the victim’s chances of survival by performing CPR until medical personnel arrive. That’s one reason I decided to become CPR certified.
Are you CPR certified? Would you be more likely to perform CPR if you only had to do chest compressions? How would you try to help if you witnessed a cardiac emergency?
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Comments
recently in the local newsletter (american heart association) we had photos of our then 3yr old girls demonstrating with us. One was doing the bag mask ( health care worker cert) and the ohter was photographed putting the AED on- the caption stated NEVER TO YOUNG TO LEARN... we teach voluntarily at the local daycares and our children go with us. As lay folks are becoming more and more "germ phobic" I really like the guidline breathe only. The scientific study behind it is really interesting...
Reading thru the comments- EVERY 2 yrs the guidelines are updated - the instructors are updated in OCT. and they began teaching the updates the following FEB. ( don't know why- could do with getting material out) - 8/16/2010 10:34:34 AM
Fortunately I haven't had to resuscitate anyone lately!
Not that it matters, but the restaurant didn't even offer to give us our meals for free, smile. It's like people pass by an accident and don't give it another thought. - 8/11/2010 9:04:41 AM
Taught it for several years.
Formerly ACLS certified.
Yes, I have used it - in the course of my job.
40 years ago, I did mouth-to-mouth while waiting on a bag to arrive. I never caught anything. Now a days, the bag is at the bedside in hospitals.
Yes, I have known of many cases of lay people successfully performing CPR. - 8/8/2010 1:58:29 AM
I'm pretty sure that I would have done the necessary CPR but I've always had an irrational fear of doing CPR on a person and then having them throw up in my mouth when they revived. But as disgusting as that would be if it happened, it really pales in comparison to the possibility of actually saving a person's life. Hopefully I'll never find out for sure whether I'd do CPR or not, but knowing that it would be just as effective with only compressions makes it a lot more likely that I (and others like me) would do it if the need arose. - 8/7/2010 2:12:37 PM
we also have AED's available. - 8/7/2010 11:33:18 AM
Thankfully, too, I have always carried, and still carry, the one-way latex valves with me, which allows me to do the beathing steps and protect my health at the same time. - 8/6/2010 8:48:24 PM
One of the things we'd talked about in class was a change in CPR protocols i.e. using the hands only method. One doctor who advocated the use of hands only said that it was more important to circulate the oxygenated blood to the brain than it was to give life breathes. So, these days, more emphasize is placed on compressions instead of life breathes. I'd noticed that. When I first learned CPR in high school, giving breathes were just as important as the compressions. Not today... today they are moving towards hands only CPR.
Which makes sense. Also, I do believe more people would step in to help if they felt they didn't have to breathe into another person's mouth. I do know people who've told me they wouldn't perform CPR because of that.
- 8/6/2010 10:37:09 AM
I think its a good idea for every to learn some basic first aid + CPR. I hate the idea of being in a situation like that and being absolutely helpless to do anything. And I think it would be even worse if it was a loved one taken ill and all I could do was say "I wish I'd learnt CPR...". - 8/6/2010 9:55:19 AM
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