According to the American Heart Association, less than eight percent of people who suffer cardiac arrest outside the hospital survive. But studies show those who get cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or COR, have a much better chance of surviving. Cleveland Clinic cardiologist Dr. Venu Menon says the AHA's most recent guidelines do not require mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
"When you have a primary cardiac arrest there's probably enough oxygen around in the first couple of minutes that CPR alone to increase the heart output is enough to keep the patient going," he explained.
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The AHA has been recommending a "hands only" method of CPR since 2008. Bystanders who witness the sudden collapse of an adult should dial 911 and start chest compressions immediately. You should push hard and fast in the middle of the victim's chest. The compressions should be at a depth of at least 2 inches and at a rate of about 100 per minute.
A way to keep the proper rate is to sing a song in your head made popular by the "Bee Gees."
"If you're a John Travolta fan the 'Staying Alive' song seems to go very well with the
beat of what an expected rate is," Menon said.
AHA researchers say CPR with just chest compressions, has been proven to be as effective as CPR with breaths in treating adult cardiac arrest victims.