SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO AM) - An update to the American Heart Association’s C-P-R guidelines stresses quick action and more teamwork as keys to saving more lives.
Chrissy Meyer says over 300,000 people experience cardiac arrest each year and 90% of them die because bystanders don’t know C-P-R.
Meyer says survival from cardiac arrest depends on immediate C-P-R and other actions starting with bystanders. The American Heart Association has been training people in C-P-R, first aid and advanced life support.
Bystanders can use cell phones to immediately dial 911, placing the phone on speaker, so the dispatcher can help bystanders check for breathing and provide instructions for performingC-P-R.
Meyer says C-P-R training helps bystanders feel more confident to act and provide better care to heart attack victims.