CPR, Without the mouth-to-mouth
Your health
Mary Jo Lomax
Issue date: 4/28/08 Section: Features
I, for one, am glad the American Heart Association (AHA) just introduced "Hands Only CPR" which eliminates rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth resuscitation) and focuses on chest compressions.
Despite my yearly CPR training, if I were ever in a situation where someone collapsed, precious time would be lost while I tried to recall how many breaths to give and whether to give them before or after the chest compressions.
CPR, which stands for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, is a procedure that helps maintain the blood flow to the heart and brain of a person who has had a sudden cardiac arrest until paramedics or other medical personnel can provide treatment. Conventional CPR involves giving the person several breaths, followed by a series of chest compressions. This sequence is repeated until professional help arrives.
According to the AHA, approximately 325,000 adults suffer sudden cardiac arrest, and 80 percent of these heart attacks occur in a public setting. A heart attack victim's chances of survival double if CPR is provided immediately. In the last several years, fewer people have been willing to perform CPR either because they are reluctant to put their mouths on a stranger's mouth to administer the breaths or, like me, they are not confident about their ability to do CPR correctly.
In an effort to encourage more people to do CPR, the American Heart Association has streamlined the procedure which is called "Hands-Only CPR." The AHA states that "Hands-Only CPR performed by a bystander has been shown to be as effective as 'conventional' CPR in emergencies that occur at home, work or in public locations."
The best part about Hands-Only CPR is that there are only two things to remember: call 911 and push hard and fast on the center of the chest."
The American Heart Association offers a variety of opportunities to learn the conventional or the new Hands-Only CPR. For more information, contact the AHA Call Center at 877-242-4277 or check their Web site at http://www.americanheart.org.
Mary Jo Lomax is a health instructor at De Anza College. CPR is her second middle name.
Despite my yearly CPR training, if I were ever in a situation where someone collapsed, precious time would be lost while I tried to recall how many breaths to give and whether to give them before or after the chest compressions.
CPR, which stands for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, is a procedure that helps maintain the blood flow to the heart and brain of a person who has had a sudden cardiac arrest until paramedics or other medical personnel can provide treatment. Conventional CPR involves giving the person several breaths, followed by a series of chest compressions. This sequence is repeated until professional help arrives.
According to the AHA, approximately 325,000 adults suffer sudden cardiac arrest, and 80 percent of these heart attacks occur in a public setting. A heart attack victim's chances of survival double if CPR is provided immediately. In the last several years, fewer people have been willing to perform CPR either because they are reluctant to put their mouths on a stranger's mouth to administer the breaths or, like me, they are not confident about their ability to do CPR correctly.
In an effort to encourage more people to do CPR, the American Heart Association has streamlined the procedure which is called "Hands-Only CPR." The AHA states that "Hands-Only CPR performed by a bystander has been shown to be as effective as 'conventional' CPR in emergencies that occur at home, work or in public locations."
The best part about Hands-Only CPR is that there are only two things to remember: call 911 and push hard and fast on the center of the chest."
The American Heart Association offers a variety of opportunities to learn the conventional or the new Hands-Only CPR. For more information, contact the AHA Call Center at 877-242-4277 or check their Web site at http://www.americanheart.org.
Mary Jo Lomax is a health instructor at De Anza College. CPR is her second middle name.
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