Compression-Only CPR by Bystanders Raises Rates of Survival

Compression-only CPR by lay rescuers modestly increases survival over conventional resuscitation, a JAMA study finds.

Researchers prospectively studied rates of survival to hospital discharge in some 4400 adult victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest not witnessed by emergency medical personnel. All episodes occurred over a 5-year period in Arizona during a public campaign to encourage bystander intervention with compression-only CPR.

Among the principal findings:

• The overall annual rate of bystander CPR increased during the 5-year period, from 28% to 40%.
• Compression-only CPR increased from 20% to 76%.
• Overall survival increased from 4% to 10%; survival was 13% in the compression-only group.
• Good neurological status at discharge, however, did not differ significantly between those getting compression-only versus conventional CPR.

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