Carl Klutzke (![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} sirvalence) wrote,@ 2008-09-13 19:47:00 |
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CPR
The American Heart Association recently determined that simply giving chest compressions to someone suffering a heart attack is sufficient aid: it circulates the oxygen that remains in the blood, it doesn't require anyone to come into oral contact with the patient, and no one has to remember the right ratio of breaths to compressions. To convey this new information, they've developed a couple of amusing commercials:
http://handsonlycpr.eisenberginc.com/fun
Note the song being played at the end of each clip: in a wonderful coincidence that will hopefully also serve as a mnemonic aid, the beat of "Staying Alive" is just about the right rhythm for the compressions. :) (Discovered via the Made to Stick blog.)
In a related note, I recently received a message from a colleague suggesting that if you are alone and begin to suffer a heart attack, you should try to cough in order to keep your heart beating. As it turns out THIS IS TERRIBLE ADVICE. If you are under the care of a trained professional, you might be guided through a coughing exercise, but without that assistance you almost certainly make things worse. If you are alone and having a heart attack, what you should do is:
1. Call 911.
2. Chew and swallow an aspirin.
Aspirin impedes blood clotting: since a heart attack is caused by a blood clot preventing blood from feeding your heart, you want to thin your blood so more clots don't pile up behind the first one. More information is available on Snopes.com.
The American Heart Association recently determined that simply giving chest compressions to someone suffering a heart attack is sufficient aid: it circulates the oxygen that remains in the blood, it doesn't require anyone to come into oral contact with the patient, and no one has to remember the right ratio of breaths to compressions. To convey this new information, they've developed a couple of amusing commercials:
http://handsonlycpr.eisenberginc.com/fun
Note the song being played at the end of each clip: in a wonderful coincidence that will hopefully also serve as a mnemonic aid, the beat of "Staying Alive" is just about the right rhythm for the compressions. :) (Discovered via the Made to Stick blog.)
In a related note, I recently received a message from a colleague suggesting that if you are alone and begin to suffer a heart attack, you should try to cough in order to keep your heart beating. As it turns out THIS IS TERRIBLE ADVICE. If you are under the care of a trained professional, you might be guided through a coughing exercise, but without that assistance you almost certainly make things worse. If you are alone and having a heart attack, what you should do is:
1. Call 911.
2. Chew and swallow an aspirin.
Aspirin impedes blood clotting: since a heart attack is caused by a blood clot preventing blood from feeding your heart, you want to thin your blood so more clots don't pile up behind the first one. More information is available on Snopes.com.
