‘2 Steps to Save a Life’: Hands-only CPR and how to perform it

Cardiac arrest may be reversed if CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is performed and a defibrillator is used within minutes to shock the heart and restore a normal heart rhythm.

News 12 Staff

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Feb 2, 2024, 9:31 AM

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Updated 323 days ago

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Cardiac arrest may be reversed if CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is performed and a defibrillator is used within minutes to shock the heart and restore a normal heart rhythm.

Hands-only CPR is CPR without rescue breaths. If you see a teen or adult collapse, you can perform hands-only CPR with just two easy steps:

1. Call 911

2. Push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of the Bee Gees’ classic disco song “Stayin’ Alive.” The song is 100 beats per minute – the minimum rate you should push on the chest during hands-only CPR.

The quirky video below will help you and your family remember these two life-saving steps:

Why would you use Hands-Only CPR?

With 70% of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happening at home, if you’re called on to perform hands-only CPR, you’ll likely be trying to save the life of someone you know and love. Hands-only CPR carried out by a bystander has been shown to be as effective as CPR with breaths in the first few minutes during an out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest for an adult victim.

Below is an instructional video on how to perform hands-only CPR: