If you think traditional CPR — the kind with chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing — is the only way to potentially save a life, think again.
The American Heart Association (AHA) is urging everyone to learn hands-only CPR. It’s CPR without the breaths. Why? Because about 70 percent of all sudden cardiac arrests happen outside of a hospital setting, in people’s homes and in the community, according to the AHA. Around 90 percent of these sudden cardiac arrest patients die. With every minute that passes without intervention, survival rates drop by as much as 10 percent.
“Many people feel helpless to act during a cardiac emergency because they don’t know how to administer CPR,” said LynAnne Walden, Seton Healthcare Family director of resuscitation programs, in Austin, TX, in an interview with dailyRx News. “However, cardiac arrest remains a leading cause of death in the United States, and survival depends upon the victim immediately receiving CPR from someone nearby."
Only about 39 percent of people who experience out-of-hospital heart attacks receive proper help before professional help arrives, according to the AHA.
Hands-only CPR is CPR without any mouth-to-mouth breathing. You don’t need to take a class to become certified and it takes about one minute to learn.
The AHA recently released a music video showcasing the simplicity and lifesaving benefits of hands-only CPR. The hope, according to AHA officials, is that the catchy video will increase the number of people willing to perform lifesaving action in an emergency.
Check out the dailyRx News video for the full story.
