CPR Saves Many Lives, But
Not Enough, Says The Harvard Health Letter
U.S Newswire
May 17th, 2005
BOSTON, May 17 /U.S. Newswire/ -— Studies
show that when cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
is done right away — and correctly — it
saves lives. However, the chances of that happening
aren't very good, reports the May issue of the Harvard
Health Letter. Some studies have found that as few
as one in 20 people who have a cardiac arrest outside
of the hospital survive, even with CPR. And even health
professionals often don't perform the procedure correctly.
The advent of the automated external defibrillator
(AED) has added another wrinkle. An AED analyzes the
activity of the heart. If it has developed a lethal
rhythm or is not beating at all, the machine delivers
an electric shock to jolt it back to normal. AEDs
can be bought without a prescription for about $1,500.
"The AED presents a tough choice," says
the Health Letter. "It's theoretically better
than CPR because it can restart the heart, whereas
CPR is merely a stopgap." One study found that
a defibrillator-CPR combination improved the survival
rate over CPR alone (23 percent versus 14 percent).
But if you run around looking for an AED while neglecting
CPR, you could lose lifesaving minutes.
The financial value of a home AED is debatable. You're
plunking down $1,500 on the guess that (a) someone
will have a cardiac arrest at home and (b) someone
else will be there to use the machine. If you do decide
to buy an AED, the Harvard Health Letter advises that
you be sure you know how to use the machine and where
it is stored. You don't want to be fumbling around
in case of an emergency. |
