Brief CPR Education of Laypersons Proves Beneficial

Laypersons exposed to Hands-Only CPR videos more likely to attempt CPR, have better skills

WEDNESDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Laypersons who have been exposed to short American Heart Association (AHA) Hands-Only cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) videos are more likely to attempt CPR, and demonstrate better CPR technique than untrained individuals, according to a study published in the March issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

Bentley J. Bobrow, M.D., from the Maricopa Medical Center in Phoenix, and colleagues examined the effect of viewing short Hands-Only CPR videos on untrained individuals. A total of 336 adults with no recent CPR training were randomly allocated into four groups: no training (control), 60-second video training, five-minute video training, and eight-minute video training, including practice with a manikin. Subjects were tested for their ability to perform CPR during an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest scenario either immediately after training, or two months later.

The researchers found that 23.5 percent of the controls did not even attempt CPR compared with only 0.7 percent of those with training. In all experimental groups, the average compression rate was significantly higher than in the control group and was close to the recommended level. Average compression depth was also significantly higher in all experimental groups compared to controls.

"Laypersons exposed to an ultrabrief AHA Hands-Only CPR video were more likely to attempt Hands-Only CPR and showed superior skills compared to untrained laypersons," the authors write.

Several of the study authors disclosed financial relationships with the medical device industry.

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