Multiple CPR Rescuers Better Than One For Out Of Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Editor's Choice
Academic Journal
Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Heart Disease
Article Date: 05 Jul 2012 - 2:00 PST


When somebody's heart stops, and they are away from a hospital in a public place, two or more bystanders who apply CPR or apply CPR and help are better than just one, researchers from Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan, reported in the journal Resuscitation. The authors added that most out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the victim's home, and their rescuers tend to be family members.

Unfortunately, the survival advantage to having more than one rescuer only applies to public places, and not cardiac arrests suffered at home.

Hideo Inaba and team gathered data on 5,078 people who suffered out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCAs) who were witnessed by bystanders and unwitnessed by bystanders or paramedics from 2004 to 2010 - data were collected prospectively. In 4,338 cases the victims had rescuers.

They found that OHCA victims had twice the chance of surviving when there were multiple rescuers, compared to others.

12 months after their cardiac arrest, 6% of victims with 3+ rescuers were still alive, compared to 3% of those with only one rescuer - those with two rescuers had a 4% survival rate.

In an Abstract in the same journal, the authors concluded:

"In summary, an increased number of rescuers improves the outcomes of OHCAs. However, this beneficial effect is absent in OHCAs that occur at home."

What is CPR?

CPR, which stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is an emergency procedure for people in sudden cardiac arrest - the heart stops functioning, there is no blood circulation and the person is not breathing (or there is abnormal breathing). CPR is performed in an effort to preserve intact brain function until medical help arrives. CPR is performed outside and inside hospital.

CPR used to involve giving the "kiss-of-life" as well as chest presses. However, several health organizations have recently said that "Hands-only CPR" is better for lay people (people who are not health care professionals).

The American Heart Association in 2010 said that lay people should focus on "Hands-only CPR". (Link to article)

The British Heart Foundation, in January 2012 told people to forget about the kiss of life and concentrate on giving hard and fast compressions to the center of the chest. The aim is to give witnesses (bystanders) the confidence to come and help. The British Heart Foundation stressed that the simplified CPR method involving chest compressions is recommended for untrained rescuers. (Link to article)

The person performing CPR should aim for 100 compressions per minute - each compression should be firm and fairly hard; the chest should be pressed about 2 inches deep and be allowed to come all the way back up before the next compression.

The video below explains clearly and simply how to carry out "Hands-Only CPR"



Written by Christian Nordqvist
Copyright: Medical News Today
Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News Today

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