[dreamcompiler]

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]

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]

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]

Thanks for the clarification.

[snowwrestler]

> 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]

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.

[LorenPechtel]

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

[dreamcompiler]

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."

[sacnoradhq]

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.