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April 2nd, 2008

American Heart Association Changes CPR Recommendations to Hands-Only CPR

Health News posted 4 years ago by The Healia Team

The American Heart Association announced Monday that hands-only CPR (rapid, deep presses on the victim's chest until help arrives) works just as well as standard CPR. Hands-only CPR is simpler and easier to remember and helps those who may be apprehensive to provide mouth-to-mouth.

According to the American Heart Association's recommendation, hands-only CPR calls for uninterrupted chest presses -- 100 a minute -- until paramedics take over or an automated external defibrillator is available to restore a normal heart rhythm.

Hands-only CPR should be used only on adults who unexpectedly collapse, stop breathing, and are unresponsive. A child who collapses is more likely to have breathing problems -- and in that case, mouth-to-mouth breathing should be used. This also applies to adults who suffer lack of oxygen from a near-drowning, drug overdose, or carbon monoxide poisoning. In these emergencies, people who are not breathing still need mouth-to-mouth to get air into their lungs and bloodstream.