Continuous Chest Compression CPR is a new approach that non-medically trained individuals are encouraged to use in the event of cardiac arrest.
The chance of surviving a cardiac arrest outside a hospital was found to be twice as high when bystanders/co-workers/family members performed continuous chest compressions without mouth-to-mouth breathing than when bystanders performed standard CPR. These are the latest findings reported by the Resuscitation Research Group at the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center and the SHARE Program at the Arizona Department of Health Services.
This has been shown to improve rates of neurologically intact survival by 250%–300% over the approach advocated by the 2000 American Heart Association guidelines.
The Mayo Clinic provides this 2 minute video demonstration on the technique and the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation offers a wealth of information that can be used at work and at home!
A recap on the steps to take if someone has a heart attack:
- Call 911!
- Call for an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) if available. If you have one in your workplace, train all staff on proper use. While a friend’s office was being trained on their new AED, a co-worker had a heart attack. The trainer was using a working demo and the story had a happy ending!
- Shake the person and shout for a response. If breathing, make sure it seems normal.
- Use knuckles to perform sternal rub. If no reaction, and an AED is unavailable, perform chest compressions.
- Get on your knees so arms are vertical over person’s chest.
- Put one hand on top of the other & lock elbows.
- Place heel of bottom hand in center of chest.
- Push hard, 100 times per minute; release pressure as you come up each time.
- Take turns with someone else if you get tired.
- Keep pumping until Emergency Medical Assistance arrives.
Your hands are their heart in this process!