Quick CPR is ‘difference between life and death’ for cardiac arrest patients – but do you know what to do?
CARDIAC arrests outside of a hospital are fatal almost every time - as experts plea with the public to learn life-saving CPR.
Analysis of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in England by the University of Warwick Clinical Trials Unit found fewer than one in 12 patients (7.8 per cent) survive to 30 days.
Judy O’Sullivan, director of health innovation programmes at the British Heart Foundation, said: “These figures lay bare the worryingly low survival rates following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, and show that too many opportunities to help save a life are being missed. We need to change this."
Members of the public performed CPR in more than 70 per cent of cases but used a public-access defibrillator in fewer than one in 10 cases. Both figures represent an increase from 2021.
A sudden cardiac arrest is the immediate loss of all heart activity.
It can occur due to an irregular heart rhythm or other heart disease but can strike unexpectedly, too.
Breathing stops and the person becomes unconscious, with the lack of oxygenated blood to their organs leading to death.
CPR can help pump blood around the body until specialist help arrives.
The use of a defibrillator can shock the heart to restart - but not enough people know they can access them in public places.
The 2022 figures, based from all of England’s ambulance services and shared with the PA news agency, found ambulance services performed resuscitation in 34,407 patients in England following an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
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Two thirds of cardiac arrests happened in men, around 80 per cent occurred in people’s homes and 13 per cent in a public place, and the average age of the patient was 65.
A quarter of patients had their hearts restarted by the time they reached hospital but fewer than one survived a month, which is a slight drop on 2021 data.
A previous survey has suggested Brits believe there is a 50/50 chance of surviving a cardiac arrest.
Dr Christopher Smith, clinical lecturer at Warwick Medical School and co-chief investigator of The Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest Outcomes Registry, from which the data is drawn, said the figures showed survival remains low.
“Cardiac arrest is the most serious and time-critical medical emergency, but there is a lot that can be done to improve patient outcomes,” he said.
James Cant, chief executive of the Resuscitation Council UK, said: “We want to save more lives and reduce the devastating consequence of cardiac arrest for patients and their families.
“This report sheds crucial light on survival, CPR and defibrillator trends, allowing us to apply a data-driven approach in working to save more lives.”
BHF's Ms O’Sullivan said: “Every second is vital when someone has a cardiac arrest.
"Quick CPR and defibrillation can be the difference between life and death. It’s important to have the confidence to do CPR and use a defibrillator.
“Our free, interactive RevivR training tool can teach you the lifesaving skill of CPR and how to use a defibrillator in just 15 minutes, and could ultimately help save the life of a loved one.”
Here is the British Heart Foundation's step-by-step guide for CPR:
How to give CPR to an adult
Check for a response. Firmly shake the person’s shoulders and loudly ask if they’re okay.
Call 999. If the person is unconscious and not breathing, or not breathing normally, start CPR.
If there is someone with you, ask them to find a defibrillator [the 999 call handler will tell you where to find the nearest one].
Start chest compressions.
- With the heel of your hand in the centre of their chest, press down smoothly and firmly at a rate of two per second. Try pushing to the beat of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees.
Use a defibrillator as soon as you can. Follow its instructions carefully while you continue to give CPR.
How to do CPR on a child or baby
Check the space is clear and look out for hazards like electrical equipment, slippery surfaces, or cars.
Gently stimulate the child and ask loudly, ‘Are you OK?’
If they do not respond, see if their chest rises and listen or feel for breathing and other signs of life like moving or coughing.
If their breathing is abnormal, they’re not breathing or if you're unsure, call 999 and start CPR immediately. Take no more than 10 seconds to check this.
Do not start CPR but still call 999 immediately if:
- They are conscious but cannot move.
- They are unconscious but breathing normally. If this is the case, put them in the recovery position and monitor their breathing in case you need to start CPR. Roll the child over onto their side, with one knee bent out in front of them, their hand tucked under their cheek and their head tilted to keep the airway clear. For a baby, hold them in your arms with their body tilted downwards so that they do not choke or inhale vomit.
On a baby under one year old
Always call 999 before starting CPR.
- Turn the baby on their back and open their mouth.
- Cover their nose and mouth with your mouth and breathe out firmly until their chest rises.
- Wait for their chest to fall before giving the next breath.
- At first, give five of these rescue breaths. If you cannot get a good seal over the mouth and nose, then cover either the mouth or the nose. Make sure the part you’re not covering is closed.
- Use two thumbs in the centre of the baby's chest (aim for the breastbone).
- Push down on their chest about one-third deep (about 4cm) at a rate of two per second.
- Repeat this 15 times to a steady and swift beat (try pushing to the beat of Stayin' Alive by the Bee Gees).
- Allow the chest to come back up before you push each time.
- After doing 15 chest compressions, give two rescue breaths. Keep repeating this cycle.
Once you have a defibrillator, place the pads on the baby immediately and turn it on. If someone is with you, they can do this while you continue to do CPR. Follow the defibrillator’s instructions. If you do not have a defibrillator, keep doing CPR.
On a child aged one to 18 years
Always call 999 before starting CPR.
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- Turn the child on their back, open their mouth and gently tilt their head back enough to open the airway. Support their neck while you do this.
- Pinch their nose, seal their mouth with your mouth and breathe out firmly until their chest rises. Wait for their chest to fall before giving the next breath.
- At first, give five of these rescue breaths.
- Put one hand in the centre of the child’s chest (aim for their breastbone). Push down on their chest about one-third deep (about 5cm) at a rate of two per second.
- Repeat this 15 times to a steady and swift beat (try pushing to the beat of Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees). Allow the chest to come back up before you push each time.
- After doing 15 chest compressions, give two rescue breaths. Keep repeating this cycle.
Once you have a defibrillator, place the pads on the child immediately and turn it on. If someone is with you, they can do this while you continue to do CPR. Follow the defibrillator’s instructions. If you do not have a defibrillator, keep doing CPR.