"Hands-Only" CPR Isn't Really New

You may have seen or heard recent news media talk about a “NEW” way to provide CPR to individuals. While not new, the American Heart Association (AHA) has recently released a science advisory, “Hands-Only (Compression-Only) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation:  A Call to Action for Bystander Response to Adults Who Experience Out-of-Hospital Sudden Cardiac Arrest.”  

So…What does that mean?

When an adult suddenly collapses, trained or untrained bystanders should-at a minimum

  1. Call 911
  2. Begin to provide high-quality chest compressions by pushing hard and fast in the center of the chest, minimizing interruptions.

If a bystander is not trained in CPR, the bystander should provide hands-only CPR until an automated external defibrillator arrives and is ready for use, or EMS providers take over care.

If a bystander is trained in CPR and is confident in their ability to provide rescue breaths with minimal interruptions to chest compressions, then the bystander should provide conventional CPR (30:2).  They should provide CPR until an automated external defibrillator arrives and is ready for use, or EMS providers take over care.

It is important to know that this is NOT new information but simply affirming what has been studied and suggested for some time now.

  • In the 2000 Guidelines, “compression-only CPR" (as it was named then) was acknowledged and taught.
  • The 2000 AHA Guidelines for CPR stated:  “Lay persons should be encouraged to do Compression-Only CPR if they are unable or unwilling to provide rescue breathing” based on a 1997 study. 
  • The 2005 Guidelines included this same position and this is included in the ASHI training/material that ESC trained 1st Aid/CPR/AED students receive.

Remember, AHA recommends conventional CPR (breaths & compressions) for all infants, children and victims who are found already unconscious and not breathing normally, and for any victims of drowning or collapse due to breathing problems.

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