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How To Do Hands-Only CPR

From Rod Brouhard,
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For adult victims who collapse in front of you, these steps provide the best chance for survival. If an adult victim is choking or has nearly drowned, trained rescuers should follow conventional Adult CPR.
Difficulty: N/A
Time Required: Don't wait - respond quickly

Here's How:

  1. Call 911
    Either call 911 yourself or direct someone else to do it. Make sure whoever calls 911 asks for an ambulance to respond for a collapsed victim. If the 911 dispatcher is able to give directions, ignore this and follow the directions given by the dispatcher.

  2. Push on the chest
    Put the heel of your hand directly on the center of the chest, between the nipples. Push down about 1.5 inches at a rate of 100/minute or about 2 per second.

Tips:

  1. These guidelines are meant for untrained rescuers. Trained rescuers may also use these steps for witnessed cardiac arrest.

    Source:

    Sayre, M.R., et al."Hands-Only (Compression-Only) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Call to Action for Bystander Response to Adults Who Experience Out-of-Hospital Sudden Cardiac Arrest. A Science Advisory for the Public From the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee." Circulation. 31 Mar 2008

Updated: April 7, 2008
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