Your Hands, Their Hearts
If it took less than 10 minutes to learn a scientifically proven way to save someone’s life in the event of a heart attack — and that lesson was free — would you take the time? Would you be willing to teach others the same technique?
Individuals experiencing a heart attack had a much higher survival rate if bystanders administered continuous chest compressions (CCC) rather than the traditional CPR of alternating compressions with mouth-to-mouth breaths until emergency medical service arrives or an automatic external defibrillator, according to research conducted by Gordon A. Ewy, MD, director of the University of Arizona’s Sarver Heart Center. Only 5% of cardiac-arrest victims survive if nobody performed CPR. For those receiving standard CPR (alternating between 30 compressions and two breaths), survival was marginally higher at 6%. In contrast, 11% survived if bystanders kept pumping on their chest and did not stop for mouth-to-mouth breaths until emergency medical services arrived.
I first heard about cardiocerebral resuscitation in 2007, when Bentley J. Bobrow, MD, medical director of the Bureau of Emergency Medical Services & Trauma System at the Arizona Department of Health Services, presented the statistics on CCC versus CPR administered by bystanders at a meeting of the Arizona Fire Chiefs Association. A year later, FIRE CHIEF published an article and a poster to introduce the method — then referred to as cardiocerebral resuscitation (CCR) — to a wider audience.
Bobrow has promoted CCC statewide. For instance, 1,800 middle and high schools received CCC-CPR instructional kits last year. The kits contained a letter from the governor and a nine-minute DVD instructional video of students teaching CCC.
Bobrow is encouraging public-information officers in Arizona to “[make] this message a priority in your community through your media channels. Also, this is a perfect message for your civic and community leaders to endorse. Simply put, this will save a lot of people in our state, and I am confident that you will know how to best promote this life saving message.”
The number of saves in the six years since Bobrow introduced the concept has been amazing. And fire and EMS departments in other states, including Wisconsin and Missouri, also have introduced the new CCC procedures to their communities.
On Sunday, Ewy presented the statistical data collected on CCC-CPR to the American Heart Association. The AHA is preparing to launch a public-information campaign across the country titled “Hands-Only CPR” and will include brief and ultra-brief television spots.
Next week, families and friends will gather to celebrate Thanksgiving. Why not take nine minutes to watch the report on Mayo Clinic’s CCC program? Teach yourself and others how to save a person’s life.
You never know when they may use CCR on you someday.
November 24th, 2009 at 10:09 am
Janet,
Great information. Have thought about this process since reading about it in FC. Actually had an opportunity to put the process in play last December on an unwitnessed cardiac arrest.
Unfotunately, the person passed and was pronounced at the ER on arrival. The doctor confirmed that it was from a long list of medical issues for the victim since he was a frequent flyer.
However, now is a GREAT time with the holidays coming that all persons, not just emergency responders learn that CCC can and does have some positive impact on a person’s life situation. I for one support it’s use wholeheartedly!
Be Safe and Happy Holidays.
John
November 28th, 2009 at 3:44 pm
The American Heart Association should be commended for endorsing chest-compression-only CPR for bystanders. This will clearly save more lives. However, AHA needs to go one step further and change its recommended resuscitation protocol for first responders. A technique known as cardiocerebral resuscitation (or CCR) that eliminates giving breaths in favor of continuous compressions has been in use since at least 2003. Doctors Gordon Ewy, Ben Bobrow and Michael Kellum have amassed a large body of data showing this technique will increase not only the survival rate, but also the chances of a patient returning to normal life (usually measured in terms of if they return to work). Despite the evidence of CCR’s effectiveness, many departments are understandably hesitant to switch to a protocol not endorsed by AHA. It is time that AHA formally recognized the life-saving potential of CCR for first responders.
Rick Markley
International Fire Relief Mission Media Manager
Volunteer Firefighter
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