CPR

Tom RaderStaff - June 8, 2021

Coming Soon…
[See the full post at: CPR]

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“Compression-only CPR …It has been found to be more effective than CPR that includes rescue breathing…”

I’m surprised about that statement. At my last (I do it every year) First Aid Training we were told, that at the United States one has moved to train CPR without rescue breathing due to psychological reason. According to the trainer the problem was, that not many people are willing to provide breath and without the requirement to do it the people taking responsibility and making CPR (without it) has increased. He told us the decision was then made because even though it is less effective (his statement) by increasing the number of people who do at least CPR overall more lives can be rescued (based on circulating remaining air) – especially because normal the professional support arrives within less than 15min.

He did not give sources for his statement, so I could not cross check it. Do you have sources that CPR without rescue breathing is more effective (or is this due to the reason I stated above, so less from looking at a single event and more to look for the overall picture)?

“ We will do rescue breathing for patients that are not breathing (or not breathing adequately–too fast and shallow).”

I do not get the point here, above it was stated that “Compression-only CPR …It has been found to be more effective than CPR” But here it says “We will do rescue breathing for patients that are not breathing…”. If someone is not breathing his heart will also stop soon and he will likely need both (or is it for case where you catch the very moment when breath just stopped). I also question if you should do it if someone is breathing too fast or shallow, I would start here with trying to bring the person to adapt it on his own – if he is conscious).

So to say it shortly I’m a little bit confused about this chapter. I like the first video and I think it is really better to do CPR without breathing before you doing nothing. But as a general approach I still would do CPR with breathing (Ratio 30:2) and I would prefer if this is demonstrated here at the second video instead just giving breath.

In addition it would be nice to show additional breathing options like mouth to nose or using one of the cheap mask one can carry always at the key:

Sorry If I just didn’t understand the contend correctly but I fear others could also be confused here.

 

I just re-did this entire text, because I agree the first draft was confusing.

What the instructor told you is correct, but not the entire picture. Much of this strategy change is due to the emotional reactions of bystanders / potential rescuers. But there are also medical reasons, such as the act of compressions having a side benefit of moving air in and out. 

Check out the new text, and you may be interested in some of the new sources that go into deeper data on efficacy rates. WDYT?