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EMT here. I've had exactly one save in my career from CPR without external defibrillation. That save happened only because of epi, and the patient was disconnec

EMT here. I've had exactly one save in my career from CPR without external defibrillation. That save happened only because of epi, and the patient was disconnected the next day because of brain death. So yeah, CPR is great but if you don't also have an AED, it's just theater. Caveat: If you call 911 [in the USA] they will bring an AED! So don't let the fact that you don't own an AED stop you from starting CPR. Just be sure somebody calls 911 also.

Daub 3y ago
Glad you said this. I have delivered cpr twice: once to my lecturer at school, the other to a stranger in the street. Both times they died. The experience of seeing people freak out when they saw their loved one dying completely devastated me out. Still now the memories are painful. I told my father, who worked in medicine. He recommended that unless there was a defibrillator nearby, I walk away next time I see someone having a heart attack.
- JshWright 3y ago
  Just to be clear, a "heart attack" commonly refers to a myocardial infarction (part of the hear tis being deprived of blood, generally due to an obstruction in a coronary artery). Someone in the early stages of a heart attack will generally (but not always) experience chest pain/etc, anxiety, shortness of breath, etc. A heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest, where the heart stops beating effectively and the patient loses consciousness. Cardiac arrest is the scenario you're talking about (where CPR is indicated)
  - Daub 3y ago
    Thanks for the clarification.
sacnoradhq 3y ago
TLDR: 1. AEDs should be everywhere. 2. CPR isn't perfect but it works sometimes. ----- 1. Get an AED if you can and keep it near your home and/or vehicle. 2. Just don't expect complete recovery miracle revivals like the movies.
LorenPechtel 3y ago
If it's just theater without an AED then why was it done before the AED came about?
- dreamcompiler 3y ago
  Manual defibrillators have existed decades longer than automatic ones. Even without an AED immediately available, CPR is useful as long as someone has activated EMS (i.e. called 911). EMS always carries a defibrillator (whether automatic or manual) and CPR buys the patient time until EMS arrives. My point more precisely should have read "CPR with no possibility of prompt defibrillation is mostly theater."
snowwrestler 3y ago
> So yeah, CPR is great but if you don't also have an AED, it's just theater. There’s at least one scenario where this is less true: drowning. An otherwise healthy person, pulled promptly from the water but not breathing, has a chance of being revived with CPR. There are a lot of drowning situations where an AED or EMT are far away, and CPR should definitely be attempted.
- dreamcompiler 3y ago
  True. And drowning is one of the few CPR scenarios where early ventilation may be more important than early chest compressions. Follow medical direction and local guidelines to be sure.

Daub 3y ago

Glad you said this. I have delivered cpr twice: once to my lecturer at school, the other to a stranger in the street. Both times they died. The experience of seeing people freak out when they saw their loved one dying completely devastated me out. Still now the memories are painful. I told my father, who worked in medicine. He recommended that unless there was a defibrillator nearby, I walk away next time I see someone having a heart attack.

JshWright 3y ago
Just to be clear, a "heart attack" commonly refers to a myocardial infarction (part of the hear tis being deprived of blood, generally due to an obstruction in a coronary artery). Someone in the early stages of a heart attack will generally (but not always) experience chest pain/etc, anxiety, shortness of breath, etc. A heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest, where the heart stops beating effectively and the patient loses consciousness. Cardiac arrest is the scenario you're talking about (where CPR is indicated)
- Daub 3y ago
  Thanks for the clarification.

sacnoradhq 3y ago

TLDR: 1. AEDs should be everywhere. 2. CPR isn't perfect but it works sometimes. ----- 1. Get an AED if you can and keep it near your home and/or vehicle. 2. Just don't expect complete recovery miracle revivals like the movies.

LorenPechtel 3y ago

If it's just theater without an AED then why was it done before the AED came about?

dreamcompiler 3y ago
Manual defibrillators have existed decades longer than automatic ones. Even without an AED immediately available, CPR is useful as long as someone has activated EMS (i.e. called 911). EMS always carries a defibrillator (whether automatic or manual) and CPR buys the patient time until EMS arrives. My point more precisely should have read "CPR with no possibility of prompt defibrillation is mostly theater."

snowwrestler 3y ago

> So yeah, CPR is great but if you don't also have an AED, it's just theater. There’s at least one scenario where this is less true: drowning. An otherwise healthy person, pulled promptly from the water but not breathing, has a chance of being revived with CPR. There are a lot of drowning situations where an AED or EMT are far away, and CPR should definitely be attempted.

dreamcompiler 3y ago
True. And drowning is one of the few CPR scenarios where early ventilation may be more important than early chest compressions. Follow medical direction and local guidelines to be sure.