Hands-Only CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, commonly abbreviated to CPR, is one of the most basic ways to revive someone who has gone into cardiac arrest. Used for decades, one of the main benefits of CPR is that almost anyone can learn to do it. No medical degree or specialized equipment is necessary, and studies show that promptly administered CPR greatly increases the survival rate of a cardiac arrest victim.

Traditional CPR vs. Hands-Only CPR

Traditional CPR consists of two “phases.” One phase involves chest compressions, while the other involves mouth-to-mouth breathing. This form of CPR is based on a combination of two theories of how the cardiopulmonary system operates. The cardiac pump theory acknowledges that the beating of the heart is what pushes blood out into the body, while the thoracic pump theory points out that the vacuum created by breathing is what draws blood back towards the heart to be recirculated.

Recently, the American Heart Association released a new set of recommendations for a type of CPR known as “Hands-only CPR.” As the name implies, this form of CPR involves no mouth-to-mouth and focuses solely on chest compressions. Several factors contributed to this shift in policy. First, hands-only CPR is easier to perform than the traditional two-phase kind. This means that virtually anyone, whether trained or not, can perform this type of CPR. Secondly, though ideally both chest compressions and lung inflation through mouth-to-mouth are needed, medical experts have come to believe that, at least initially, chest compressions are much more important. In other words, putting oxygen into the lungs does no good if the heart isn’t pumping to move the oxygen through the body.

Hands-only CPR is performed very similarly to traditional CPR. Place your hands on the center of the victim’s chest, an inch or two below the nipple line. Lock your elbows, and thrust your palm heels about an inch and a half downwards at a pace slightly faster than once per second. Repeat until help arrives, or until the victim revives.

If you or someone close to you has been injured due to another person’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact a Wausau personal injury lawyer from Habush, Habush & Rottier, S.C., by calling 715-387-4242 today.