(CPR) Compression best for cardiac arrest - Mouth-to-mouth not necessary

[RamboLiberal]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/03/16/MNGMPOMBIT1.DTL&type=science


Overturning a century of conventional medical wisdom, Japanese researchers reported Thursday that simple chest compressions without mouth-to-mouth ventilation saves twice as many heart attack victims as traditional CPR.

The results could have important implications in emergency medicine because as many as three-quarters of bystanders who observe a heart attack in a stranger decline to perform CPR because they fear infectious diseases such as AIDS (although health experts say the AIDS virus cannot be transmitted through mouth-to-mouth contact).

The report "should lead to a prompt revision of the guidelines for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest," wrote Dr. Gordon Ewy of the University of Arizona College of Medicine in an editorial accompanying the study, which was published in the medical journal Lancet.

The National Academies of Emergency Dispatch revised its guidelines last year to suggest that 911 operators instruct callers to perform cardiac compression.

<snip>

But experts cautioned that the new rules apply only to people who collapse suddenly from a heart attack. Those suffering from respiratory arrest, including victims of drowning and drug overdoses, still require conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

[William769]

1. I had a person stop breathing in my dining room last month

When I called 911, they advised me to only do chest compressions until the EMT's arrived.

It should be noted that the person was found this way and I did not know why he was not breathing. The cause of death was listed on the autopsy report was a embolisim to the brain.

[silverojo]

2. I'm so sorry to hear he didn't survive, despite your efforts

I gave my aunt CPR as well as mouth-to-mouth when we found she had stopped breathing, but sadly, it was in vain. I lived with her for decades, and it was so terrifying, waiting for the paramedics to arrive, and take her to the hospital. But she had advanced heart failure, and everyone involved said it would have been impossible to revive her, simply because her heart was so weak.

God, how I miss her. :cry:

[William769]

3. I feel your pain.

But we are only human, at least we can take solace in knowing we tried. :hug:

[Joe Chi Minh]

7. If someone ever chokes in your diner, it might be worth

holding them upside down. When we were getting nowhere fast, I did that to my wife, and mercifully, it did the trick. Mind you, she has lungs like a gigantic pair of bellows, so maybe that would have helped. I didn't realise until, one night, I kept feeling this strong draft blowing regularly on my face. It was kind of sweet-smelling, too. Maybe it was the tooth-paste.

I read later that that's how they unblock babies' throats.

[tuvor]

4. Maybe it is, after all. Check this thread from last night.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=222&topic_id=17706&mesg_id=17706

[madrchsod]

5. i enjoy your ever changing signatures

i`m to lazy to change mine that often...

[tuvor]

6. Thanks.

I've forgotten the name of the artist who painted your sigpic, but I've always liked his work since I first saw it on a CD from about 15 years ago.

[grace0418]

9. Mark Ryden. Love him. He's obsessed with Christina Ricci.

http://www.markryden.com/

[tuvor]

10. Thank you for the name and the link, grace0418!

I enjoyed the browse, and I'm bookmarking it before I forget again. :)

[Thor_MN]

8. Horrible headline...

The sole "advantage" to chest compression only is that people would be more inclined to do it. Essentially, they are saying "It's better than doing nothing." The article that I read said that CPR is still better. To me, chest compression only sounds like like the dumbing down of science that *'s maladminstration is pushing.

[rcdean]

12. Actually they recommend 30 chest compressions for every 2 breaths

Also, from what I was able to find on the AHA's website, it looks like the broader your coverage of the chest the better, rather than one small area.

[Nevernose]

11. "Doing CPR on another dude means you're gay," I was told.

"Doing CPR on another dude means you're gay," I was told by a high school student shortly after returning from health class. A lot of the other kids, male kids, agreed: they won't do CPR on another man, unless it was a close friend or family member, for fear of doing something "gay."

"Someone's dying while you watch, and you have the power to save him, and you don't because someone watching might think you're GAY? What the fuck is wrong with you people?" was my reply. Yeah, I could have handled it better, and I'm probably lucky to still have my job, but I think my reply was warranted.