Here’s a great video from the University of Arizona’s Sarver Heart Center demonstrating a new method for performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Continuous Chest Compression CPR advocates the following immediate actions for victims who suffer sudden cardiac arrest:

• Order someone to call for emergency assistance.
• Immediately start chest compressions at a rate of 100 beats per minute (roughly equivalent to a disco song such as the Bee Gees’ Stayin’ Alive).
• Don’t bother to check for a pulse or breathing, and don’t worry about providing breaths to the victim. The vacuum created by releasing the hands from the victim’s chest after each compression will create a vacuum that draws air into the lungs.

According to Sarver Heart Center, using this technique doubles a person’s chance of surviving cardiac arrest

http://ahsc.arizona.edu/node/730

Image: Red Heart by Robert Proksa, Jaworzno, Slaskie, Poland.

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