CPR

People can survive cardiac arrest if they receive only chest compressions during attempts to revive them – as advised by the current American Heart Association guidelines. But they cannot survive without access to oxygen sometime during the resuscitation effort, research suggests. Scientists tested different scenarios in an animal study of cardiac arrest. Rats received either 100 percent oxygen, 21 percent oxygen – the equivalent of room air – or no oxygen (100 percent nitrogen) at the same time they received cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). About 80 percent of the rats survived regardless of the percentage of oxygen they received along with chest compressions. However, in ... Read Full Story

Advanced Life Support (ALS) or Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) is a treatment algorithm followed by healthcare professionals when a situation arises requiring cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in cases of cardiac arrest, arrhythmias, stroke, or other related medical problems like poisoning. Advanced Life Support consists of CPR administration using oxygen administration via a bag or mask and chest compressions (see CPR Certification ), which are now recommended at a 30:2 ratio of compressions to ventilations for adults, children, and infants to produce higher coronary and cerebral perfusion pressures. The electrical activity of the heart is monitored and depending on the type of cardiac arrhythmia, defibrillation ... Read Full Story

Philips said Monday it is recalling about 5,400 HeartStart FR2 automated external defibrillators due to a possible memory chip failure that could make the device unable to work properly. The defibrillators are used by trained responders and designated response teams to help treat sudden cardiac arrest. Only certain defibrillators are included in the recall. They are the FR2 AEDs distributed by Philips that have model numbers M3860A and M3861A, as well as others distributed by Laerdal Medical with model numbers M3840A and M3841A. All recalled models were made between May 2007 and January 2008. The Dutch firm, known formally as Royal Philips Electronics, said ... Read Full Story

Cardiac Science Corporation recalled AED due to device failure which could lead to death to patients. Cardiac Science Corporation is initiating a voluntary field correction after it was determined certain automated external defibrillators (AEDs) may experience a rare product issue in which the AED may not be able to deliver therapy during a resuscitation attempt. Device failure may affect resuscitation of the patient, which could lead to serious adverse events or death. These AEDs have electronic components which may fail and the failure may not be detected by the device’s periodic self-tests. The affected models include the Powerheart 9300A, 9300C, 9300D, 9300E, 9300P, 9390A, ... Read Full Story

Continuous chest compression-CPR improved cardiac arrest survival in Arizona Statewide analysis shows bystanders can save more lives when doing chest compressions only instead of mouth-to-mouth CPR The chance of surviving a cardiac arrest outside a hospital was found to be twice as high when bystanders performed continuous chest compressions without mouth-to-mouth breathing than when bystanders performed standard CPR. These are the latest findings reported by the Resuscitation Research Group at the University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center and the SHARE Program (Save Hearts in Arizona Research and Education) at the Arizona Department of Health Services. Only 5 percent of cardiac arrest victims survived if ... Read Full Story