Can there truly be a Life-Saving Intervention by Bystanders? Research Unveils its Consequences
Can there truly be a Life-Saving Intervention by Bystanders? Research Unveils its Consequences
Undergoing CPR training could potentially save someone else's life in a cardiac emergency. Recent studies indicate that bystander CPR can significantly boost a person's chances of surviving a heart attack.
CPR serves as a temporary life-saving measure in situations of heart failure, where the heart stops beating. The researchers behind this study aimed to quantify the impact of bystander CPR commencement time before professional medical aid arrives, compared to no bystander CPR. They discovered that even ten minutes after a heart attack, bystanders could significantly enhance survival rates and protect brain health through CPR. The researchers stress the importance of motivating ordinary individuals to administer CPR, despite its known risks.
The researchers scrutinized data from the CARES (Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival) database, focusing on almost 200,000 documented heart attack cases outside a hospital between 2013 and 2022. They found that bystander CPR was consistently linked to better outcomes compared to no bystander CPR. However, the benefits gradually decreased with increased delay in CPR initiation.
Individuals receiving CPR within the first two minutes after their heart attack were 81% more likely to survive and 95% more likely to avoid severe brain damage versus no CPR. Even CPR administered up to ten minutes later wasn't insignificant; these patients were still 19% more likely to survive and 22% less likely to suffer brain damage. The researchers' findings will be presented this week at the American Heart Association's annual Resuscitation Science Symposium.
"Every second matters when starting bystander CPR, and even a few minutes delay can make a significant difference," said lead researcher Evan O'Keefe, a cardiovascular fellow at Saint Luke's Mid America Heart Institute and the University of Missouri-Kansas City, in a statement from the American Heart Association.
Although CPR isn't without risks. Properly carried out CPR can still lead to complications such as broken ribs or injury to internal organs. These risks become even more pronounced in older individuals or those with chronic illnesses. They are also less likely to survive heart attacks without major health issues even when they receive hospital treatment. This suggests that CPR may not always be beneficial for those with pre-existing health issues.
However, studies have shown that older people are still more likely to enjoy long-term survival with bystander CPR. Organizations like the American Heart Association continue to support bystander CPR, emphasizing its benefits outweighing the risks. Around 350,000 heart attacks occur annually outside of a hospital in the U.S., with approximately 9% of victims surviving. According to the AHA, immediate CPR could double or triple someone's chances of survival. At present, however, bystander CPR is provided in only about 35% to 40% of these cases worldwide.
The authors suggest broadening public CPR training and encouraging bystanders to offer CPR and first aid in emergency situations.
"It suggests that we need to focus on teaching more people how to perform CPR, and we also need to prioritize ways to reach those in cardiac arrest more quickly," O'Keefe said. "This could include more widespread CPR training programs, as well as better public access to automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and improved emergency dispatch systems."
Technology and science have a crucial role in enhancing the effectiveness of CPR in the future. With advancements in wearable devices and remote monitoring, it could be possible to quickly detect heart attacks and alert bystanders to administer CPR promptly. Moreover, future developments in artificial intelligence and robotics might lead to automated CPR devices, further increasing survival rates and protecting brain health during cardiac emergencies.