Apr 07, 2023
Welcome back to UHC’s House Call on WDTV. Brenda Conch, the Director of Education and Patient Care at UHC, talks about how to perform hands-only CPR.
1). Why learn hands-only CPR?
The numbers are staggering. About 350,000 people have a cardiac arrest outside of the hospital each year, and about 9 in 10 of them die. Bystanders and family members are often first to respond in a medical emergency, but, according to some research, they may hesitate to do hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The most common reasons for responders’ reluctance are mistrust of their abilities and fear of injuring the victim.
When a person has a cardiac arrest, survival depends on immediately receiving CPR from someone nearby. CPR, especially if performed immediately, can double or triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival. Hands-Only CPR is CPR without rescue breaths. If you see a teen or adult collapse, you can perform Hands-Only CPR.
2). What typically triggers a cardiac arrest?
Cardiac arrest is 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, which is a leading cause of death.
3). What may surprise our viewers concerning an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest?
You don’t need a special certification or formal training to do hands-only CPR. 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. More than 70 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home; unfortunately, only 40% of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest receive the immediate help that they need before professional help arrives.
This content was originally posted on the WDTV News website here.
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