I recently found an article that stated that a revised CPR method can help save many more. Luckily this is very fortunate for us, because according to the American Heart Association cardiac arrest is responsible for over 400,000 deaths each year in the United States.
The fact is, if a persons heart stops pumping blood through their body, and one isn't in a hospital there is a 2 percent chance of survival.
However, a newly discovered regimen by paramedics has tripled the success rate.
(Incredible, I know!)
This new method was developed at the University of Arizona's Sarver Heart Center under Dr.Ewy.
Ewy explains that one's body has enough oxygen to feed the brain for several minutes without any additional air being added by rescue breaths or inserting a breathing tube.
Instead paramedics are now encouraged to alternate a compressing the chest 200 times with a shock from a defibrillator.
So if you are in the situation, take charge and compress someone's chest until professional help arrives.
Thank God for medical research!
These look like somewhat misleading statistics, Batya. Do you have any kinda of data that shows the new CPR has tripled its success rate?
I am a lifeguard and I was originally trained the the American Red Cross' "old" CPR. I am currently certified in this "new" method, but I'll let you in a secret...the chances of re-starting a person's heart after cardiac arrest using any (old or new) method of manual cardiac pulmonary resuscitation are slim to none.
Once someone goes into cardiac arrest, a professional rescuer, or any person trained in CPR, begins chest compressions and manual breathing for the victim in order to keep blood circulating, which provides oxygen to the heart and brain. Breathing manually through the victim's mouth, or using a bag valve mask allows oxygen to get to the victim's lungs. This process rarely RESTARTS the heart. CPR is continued until an AED (automatic external defibrillator) is ready to shock the heart in hopes of restarting it with an electric pulse.
I do know that the old method of CPR was reevaluated so the rescuer does not tire as quickly. This could be a reason why more lives have been saved; rescuer tires less quickly, continues with care longer, eventually greater medical care is readily available. It is also possible that this new method allows for more oxygen to get to the brain during each cycle of compressions because the cycles are longer than the old method.
I'm sure this was kind of technical and confusing, but without reading this article myself I am skeptical of these findings.
Okay, I found that article you must have read in the UDK.
It makes a little more sense to me, but not really.
It makes no sense to me to deprive the brain of oxygen while rescuing.
The only benefit to this method, that I see, is that it's possible bystanders will participate.
What this tells me about the old method vs the new method...is that there is really no difference in the methods and that is no more effective in restarting a heart. This new method is just an easy way to prevent sure flatline until paramedics take over.