2015 HANDS-ONLY CPR FACT SHEET
WHY LEARN HANDS-ONLY CPR?
Cardiac arrest – an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and disrupts the flow of blood to the brain, lungs and other organs – is a leading cause of death. Each year, over 326,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States.
- When a person has a cardiac arrest, survival depends on immediately getting CPR from someone nearby.
- According to the American Heart Association, 90 percent of people who suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests die. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival.
- Most Americans (70 percent) feel helpless to act during a cardiac emergency because they don’t know how to administer CPR or they’re afraid of hurting the victim.
BE THE DIFFERENCE FOR SOMEONE YOU LOVE
If you are called on to give CPR in an emergency, you will most likely be trying to save the life of someone you love: a child, a spouse, a parent or a friend.
- 70 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in homes and residential settings.
- Unfortunately, only about 39% of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest get the immediate help that they need before professional help arrives.
- Hands-Only CPR has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR for cardiac arrest at home, at work or in public. It can double or even triple a victim’s chance of survival.
MUSIC CAN SAVE LIVES
- Hands-Only CPR has just two easy steps: If you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse, (1) Call 9-1-1; and (2) Push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of the disco song “Stayin’ Alive.”
- People feel more confident performing Hands-Only CPR and are more likely to remember the correct rate when trained to the beat of a familiar song.
- During CPR, you should push on the chest at a rate of at least 100 compressions per minute. The beat of “Stayin’ Alive” is a perfect match for this.
TAKE A MINUTE TO LEARN HOW TO SAVE A LIFE
- Watch the short demo video. Visit org/handsonlycpr to watch the Hands-Only CPR instructional video and share it with the important people in your life. You can also find a CPR class near you.
NOTE: The AHA still recommends CPR with compressions and breaths for infants and children and victims of drowning, drug overdose, or people who collapse due to breathing problems.