Watching One Minute Video Can Help You Save Someone's Life
DETROIT (WWJ) - Did you know that 80 percent of cardiac arrests happen at home? If you have a minute, you can learn how to help save someone's life.
During National CPR Week, June 1-7, the American Heart Association (AHA) is urging people to take 60 seconds to watch a Hands-Only CPR instructional video so they are equipped to act in a cardiac emergency. Watch the video below.
The video teaches the simple steps to help an adult who is in cardiac arrest. In fact, a recent study shows that just watching a short instructional CPR video greatly increases the chances that bystanders will attempt CPR.
According to the AHA, taking the time to watch the video is important because 70 percent of Americans have never been trained in CPR or their training has significantly lapsed.
When people lack confidence and knowledge of CPR, the odds of survival get worse for victims of cardiac arrest: Less than one-third of those victims get CPR from bystanders.
"Most Americans simply don't know how to help," Michael Sayre, M.D., chair of the AHA Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee, said in a statement.
"But anyone can learn Hands-Only CPR and everyone should. In the time it takes to wash your hands, wait for a red light to change or update your Facebook status, anyone can learn to save someone's life."
Hands-Only CPR involves two simple steps: 1. Call 9-1-1 and 2. Push hard and fast on the center of the chest until professional help arrives.
The AHA has endorsed Hands-Only CPR as a treatment for adult cardiac arrest victims since 2008, and studies have shown it is as effective as CPR with breaths.
In addition, people who watch a brief Hands-Only CPR training video are significantly more likely to attempt CPR, according to a recent study published in the association's scientific journal Circulation.
This year, the AHA Go Red For Women movement is helping to spread the Hands-Only CPR video through the "Make it Your Mission to Learn CPR" campaign.
Because four out of five cardiac arrests happen at home – and because women are typically the family's health gatekeepers – it is important for women to know what to do in an emergency.
"Women don't want to be bystanders, not at home, not at work, and certainly not in a crisis situation, and learning CPR allows them to be prepared for cardiac emergencies," Dr. Jennifer Mieres, cardiologist and Go Red For Women spokesperson, said in a statement. "Likewise, passing along the video to five of their friends and loved ones helps them empower others with that lifesaving knowledge."
If you're performing CPR and are not sure at what rate you should be compressing the chest, just think of a song with an average of 100 beats per minute.
For example, "Stayin' Alive" by Bee Gees, "Another One Bites the Dust" by Queen, "Suddenly I See" by KT Tunstall, "Fly" by Sugar Ray, "Quit Playing Games With My Heart" by Backstreet Boys, "Do You Really Want to Hurt Me" by Culture Club or "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" by U2.
Hands-Only CPR is recommended for adults who suffer a cardiac arrest at home, at work or in another public location.
Children under eight years old still need full CPR with chest compressions and breaths since the cause of their cardiac arrest is typically respiratory-related.
For more information about CPR Week or Hands-Only CPR, visit www.heart.org/cpr.
