According to the American Heart Association (AHA) , when an adult has a sudden cardiac arrest, his or her survival depends greatly on immediately getting CPR from someone nearby.
Unfortunately, less than 1/3 of those people who experience a cardiac arrest at home, work or in a public location get that help. Most bystanders are worried that they might do something wrong or make things worse. That’s why the AHA has simplified things.
Two steps to save a life.
When an adult suddenly collapses, trained or untrained bystanders – that means a person near the victim – should:
Call 911
Push hard and fast in the center of the chest.
Studies of real emergencies that have occurred in homes, at work or in public locations, show that these two steps, called Hands-Only CPR, can be as effective as conventional CPR.
Providing Hands-Only CPR to an adult who has collapsed from a sudden cardiac arrest can more than double that person’s chance of survival.
Don’t be afraid. Your actions can only help.
It’s not normal to see an adult suddenly collapse, but if you do, call 911 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest.
Don’t be afraid. Your actions can only help.
Note that the AHA still recommends that you learn conventional CPR that includes mouth-to-mouth breathing. There are many medical emergencies that cause a person to be unresponsive and to stop breathing normally.
In those emergencies, CPR that includes mouth-to-mouth breathing may provide more benefit than Hands-Only CPR. Some examples include:
Unresponsive infants and children
Adult victims who are found already unconscious and not breathing normally
Victims of drowning or collapse due to breathing problems
But remember: When an adult suddenly collapses, trained or untrained bystanders – that means a person near the victim – should:
Call 911
Push hard and fast in the center of the chest.
Studies of real emergencies that have occurred in homes, at work or in public locations, show that these two steps, called Hands-Only CPR, can be as effective as conventional CPR.
Providing Hands-Only CPR to an adult who has collapsed from a sudden cardiac arrest can more than double that person’s chance of survival.
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