HERE’S AN INTERESTING STORY ABOUT DOING CPR ON SOMEONE SUFFERING FROM CARDIAC FAILURE.
It turns out that the use of mouth-to-mouth respiration as part of keeping someone alive may actually decrease their chance fo survival. The more important thing is doing chest comrpessions to keep their blood moving. Taking time away from doing chest compressions to try to force air into their lungs may do more harm than good. It also may deter people from helping them in the first place, since many have an aversion to mouth-to-mouth.
Something to think about in case you’re ever in an emergency situation in which someone needs CPR.
Author: Jimmy Akin
Jimmy was born in Texas, grew up nominally Protestant, but at age 20 experienced a profound conversion to Christ. Planning on becoming a Protestant seminary professor, he started an intensive study of the Bible. But the more he immersed himself in Scripture the more he found to support the Catholic faith, and in 1992 he entered the Catholic Church. His conversion story, "A Triumph and a Tragedy," is published in Surprised by Truth. Besides being an author, Jimmy is the Senior Apologist at Catholic Answers, a contributing editor to Catholic Answers Magazine, and a weekly guest on "Catholic Answers Live."
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The new guidelines of 30 compressions and 2 rescue breaths are already de rigeur in the UK. They came into effect last year when we saw the recent data on blood pressure in CPR: By about compression 9 of the 15 compressions in the standard 15 and 2, you just about reach adequate blood pressure for perfusion of the brain before you stop to give a rescue breath. Doing so means you have to start building the BP up again, thus in vivo, only half of your compressions will be efficacious.
Also, due to the fact that there are indeed those who have an aversion to mouth-to-mouth, there is also the option to go solely for compressions given the relatively well saturated nature of even venous blood (75% O2).
It is important to remember though, CPR does !NOTHING! if you don’t call the emergency services.
The only thing that will stop a heart attack is a defibrilator so call 911 or 999 asap. CPR will keep the person alive long enough for the EMTs to get there, but that, is, all.
I heard about this recently, and it is true – properly done chest compressions are the main thing.
Oh well, I needed to get re-certified, anyway.
Mouth-to-mouth should never be done without the use of a barrier mask (they are cheap and fold up to the size of a stick of gum). The UK medic is absolutely correct in that CPR does nothing if you don’t call EMS. The scenario we have all seen on TV and the movies is complete bunk. You don’t get a heart beating with compressions…you need cardiac drugs and a defibrilator. And the reason for the mask (as well as people’s well-founded aversion) is that when it comes to ventilating a “code,” a good amount of the air will go down into the stomach. And when you have someone bouncing on a person’s chest…well, in the fire service we like to put it this way: “What you give you shall receive in kind.” It is ugly, smelly, and just plain gross — as well as EXTREMELY dangerous in this day and age of HIV and Hep-B and Hep-C.
I just got my CPR certification updated and they taught 30 compressions to one mouth to mouth for children as well as adults. On the internet you can purchas a littlekey-ring sized sack with a mouth barrier and a pair of latex gloves. And it makes it easy to find your keys in your purse. (Or pocket for those who prefer not to carry a purse)
Also, if you sing “Jingle Bells” with one compression per beat, you get 32 compressions. Close enough, I’d say and makes it easier to keep on count.
This topic was brought up in my MBA class. A former naval officer and CPR instructor reminded us, BOTH are very important!! You need oxygen for your brain to survive, a missed breathe is a missed opportunity for oxygen, lack of oxygen absorbed into the blood and received by the brain. Its still very important in my opinion, and the opportunity should never be missed while waiting for the ambulance. God Bless.
When I first took CPR in Scouts (c. 1975), it was 5 compressions and a breath. When I took CPR before the birth of my first child (c. 1996) it was 10 compressions and one breath and they claimed that is was always so. Two years ago, I took CPR at work and it was 15 compressions and two breaths. Last Monday, when I took CPR at work, it was 30 compressions and two breaths. I also got a refresher on Automatic External Defibrillators. The times they are a changing.
This is disappointing. I did the breaths fine on the mannequin but was never strong enough to do compressions sufficiently.
It was first 5, then 10, then 15, and now 30. Sell when it hits 45 🙂
Seriously, thank you to those who want to save peoples lives using CPR.