Why Learn Hands-Only CPR?
Cardiac arrest – an electrical malfunction in the heart that causes an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia) and disrupts the flow of blood to the brain, lungs and other organs – is a leading cause of death. Each year, more than 350,000 EMS-assessed
out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in the United States.
Hands-Only CPR has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR for cardiac arrest at home, at work or in public.
Be the Difference for Someone You Love
If you are called on to give CPR in an emergency, you will most likely be trying to save the life of someone you love: a child, a spouse, a parent or a friend.
Music Can Save Lives
Song examples include “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees, “Crazy in Love” by Beyoncé featuring Jay-Z, “Hips Don’t Lie” by Shakira” or “Walk the Line” by Johnny Cash. People feel
more confident performing Hands-Only CPR and are more likely to remember the correct rate when trained to the beat of a familiar song.
When performing CPR, you should push on the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute, which corresponds to the beat of the song examples above. Stay up with the latest Be the Beat® songs all year long.
Take 90 Seconds to Learn How to Save a Life
Watch the 90-second video. Visit heart.org/handsonlycpr to watch the Hands-Only CPR instructional video and share it with the important
people in your life. Hands-Only CPR is a natural introduction to CPR, and the AHA encourages everyone to learn conventional CPR as a next step. You can find a CPR class near you at
heart.org/findacourse.
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