Hands only CPR works as effectively as CPR with mouth to mouth

[Green Hornet]

There are studies showing that the simpler Hands only CPR works as effectively as CPR with mouth to mouth.
I remember many Olympics volunteers and workers were trained with the traditional CPR with the CPR Annie Dolls even though the Hands Only CPR in the U.S. was gaining traction because it was easier to learn.  I heard about it on the Public Radio ads in the U.S.

Taking a simpler approach to CPR
By Greg Sadler
Thursday, July 29, 2010, 1:55 PM

Forget about mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Two new studies say chest compressions alone are just as good in rescuing victims of sudden cardiac arrest.
http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/blog/2010/07/taking-a-simpler-approach-to-cpr.html

Compression CPR Found Effective
Two studies of CPR techniques find that chest compressions alone, without forced breathing, are effective in helping victims of heart attacks.
http://www.latimes.com/news/health/sns-health-compression-only-cpr,0,2856.story

It is pretty easy to learn the Hands only CPR from watching the video.  They even have an iPod and Android app for it.

From the American Heart Association:
http://handsonlycpr.org/

[yorkcountykid]

i saw that on tv last week. it's great cuz who wants to go lip to lip with some stranger. it could be a f*** who just blew some guy or some gal who just blew some guy. the whole idea is much more palatable now --not to mention it says it will save many more lives.

[Itsy Bitsy]

Yeah I was told that in a first aid session at my office, but I was also told that canada's legal(?) standard for CPR involved mouth to mouth after a certin increment of chest compressions... I think it used to be something stupidly low like 3 (waaaayyy back) and now it's like every 15 chest compressions you're supposed to do mouth to mouth. But that only applies to people in jobs like lifeguards, paramedics, etc. who might be sued for not following procedure. Some countries have caught on and updated their standard to eliminate mouth to mouth altogether. I'm told the reason for this is that it takes awhile for chest compressions to get your blood pressure up to a good level, but when you pause to do mouth to mouth, it drops significantly and you basically have to start all over again. Chest compressions also do a pretty good job of getting air into the lungs on it's own and mouth to mouth is only slightly more effective for that. So that tiny extra bit of oxygen isn't worth the drop in blood pressure that occurs when you pause chest compressions. Anyhow, that's what my co-worker (a level 3 first aid attendent) told me.

[Green Hornet]

If you are doing Hands Only CPR, I heard of a trick you can do.  You do the CPR hand compression to the movie tune of Saturday Night Fever "Staying Alive" by the Bee Gees playing in your head.
Studies show hands only CPR works best (Added: July 29, 2010)
http://www2.counton2.com/news/2010/jul/29/studies-show-hands-only-cpr-works-best-ar-637823/

i saw that on tv last week. it's great cuz who wants to go lip to lip with some stranger. it could be a f*** who just blew some guy or some gal who just blew some guy. the whole idea is much more palatable now --not to mention it says it will save many more lives.

You still have to do CPR with mouth to mouth for drowning victims.  If you have a handkerchief you can put it over the mouth of the drowning victim to perform the mouth to mouth.  

Yeah I was told that in a first aid session at my office, but I was also told that canada's legal(?) standard for CPR involved mouth to mouth after a certin increment of chest compressions... I think it used to be something stupidly low like 3 (waaaayyy back) and now it's like every 15 chest compressions you're supposed to do mouth to mouth. But that only applies to people in jobs like lifeguards, paramedics, etc. who might be sued for not following procedure. Some countries have caught on and updated their standard to eliminate mouth to mouth altogether.

It looks CPR training might eliminate mouth to mouth except for treating drowning victims .
Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation may not save more lives
JULIE ROBOTHAM
July 30, 2010

Chest compressions performed by bystanders work just as well to save the lives of unconscious people compared with the better known combined technique of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation with heart massage, new studies show.

The findings are likely to influence a revision of international guidelines this year.
http://www.smh.com.au/national/mouthtomouth-resuscitation-may-not-save-more-lives-20100729-10y51.html


Here are the some youtube Public Ads for the U.S. Heart Association promoting the Hands Only CPR.

[fuzzbrain]

good to know, along with the heimlich maneuver

[NSgirl]

good info.I have been trained in this a few times. It is also a known fact that if you are giving mouth to mouth to someone they usually puke in your mouth when they come to.
So I think I would be much more incline to try and help someone knowing I only had to do hands only CPR!

[Green Hornet]

Here is another public service video ad for Hands Only CPR to the tune of Staying Alive (the song to time your hand compressions).
http://www.hearthub.org/handsonlycpr-stayin-alive.htm

[NSgirl]

If someone was having a heart attack I would never be able to get that tune into my head. Besides I hate that song! LOL so the melody would take me quite a while to think about. the guy would be dead before I remembered the correct tune. I think my just counting 1 and 2 and 3 and 4 and 5 and etc would work better.

[Green Hornet]

For Hands Only CPR:
1) You have to call 911
2) Push hard and fast.

I would have trouble counting 100 compression per minute.
It is easy for me to have "Staying Alive" playing in head and timing the compression to that song.

Especially with the lyrics that is appropriate to Hands Only CPR:

Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive, stayin' alive
Ah, ha, ha, ha, stayin' alive

You know it's all right, it's ok
I'll live to see another day

Life goin' nowhere
somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah
Life goin' nowhere
somebody help me
Somebody help me, yeah
Stayin' alive

[NSgirl]

I hate disco as much as I hate rap!

[Sharlee]

You still have to do CPR with mouth to mouth for drowning victims.  If you have a handkerchief you can put it over the mouth of the drowning victim to perform the mouth to mouth.  

This may be a dumb question, but I thought a drowning victim had water in his/her lungs.  Would it be possible to get air in lungs that are filled with water?

[GuardianFlash]

If you have to, you'll have to lip lock with old man mouth too.

[Green Hornet]

I hate disco as much as I hate rap!

You can do your hand compression timing to Queen's "Another One Bites the Dust".

In my case, I don't think that is an appropriate song to save someones life. 

[GuardianFlash]

I took first aid last year and have forgotten everything. If I have to save someone I would have to use my own judgement on how many times to press the chest.