Purpose of review: Conventional cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) by bystanders with chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth ventilation has been documented to save life. Nevertheless, despite four decades of promulgation, it is a serious problem that the majority of bystanders are unwilling or unable to perform conventional CPR. I review the efficacy of chest compression-only cardiocerebral resuscitation (CCR) for all adult patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Recent findings: Recent observational studies showed that chest compression-only CCR by bystanders was equivalent or superior to conventional CPR in adult patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in terms of neurological benefits. In 2008, the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care committee recommended that bystanders who witness a sudden collapse in an adult should give chest compressions without ventilations (chest compression-only CCR; hands-only CPR). Furthermore, an observational study showed that chest compression-only CCR by emergency medical services personnel was a preferable approach to advanced cardiovascular life support for adult patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
Summary: To save more lives, I hope that compression-only CCR by citizen is generally, known, recommended, and taught to the public, because chest compression-only CCR by citizen is the preferable approach to basic life support for adult victims with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.