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Study Suggests Women Less Likely to Get CPR From Bystanders
Women are less likely than men to get CPR from a bystander and more likely to die, a new study suggests, and researchers think reluctance to touch a woman's chest might be one reason.
Only 39 percent of women suffering cardiac arrest in a public place were given CPR versus 45 percent of men, and men were 23 percent more likely to survive, the study found. It involved nearly 20,000 cases around the country and is the first to examine gender differences in receiving heart help from the public versus professional responders.
"It can be kind of daunting thinking about pushing hard and fast on the center of a woman's chest" and some people may fear they are hurting her, said Audrey Blewer, a University of Pennsylvania researcher who led the study. Rescuers also may worry about moving a woman's clothing to get better access, or touching breasts to do CPR, but doing it properly "shouldn't entail that," said another study leader, U Penn's Dr. Benjamin Abella. "You put your hands on the sternum, which is the middle of the chest. In theory, you're touching in between the breasts."
The study was discussed Sunday at an American Heart Association conference in Anaheim.
Get touchy and save women's lives.
Also at Penn Medicine and the American Heart Association. Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Other study mentioned in the AP article: Sexual Activity as a Trigger for Sudden Cardiac Arrest (DOI: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.09.025) (DX)
Related study: Sex-Based Disparities in Incidence, Treatment, and Outcomes of Cardiac Arrest in the United States, 2003-2012. (DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.116.003704) (DX)
(Score: 4, Interesting) by turgid on Tuesday November 14 2017, @09:08PM (12 children)
Here in the UK there was a public health campaign about CPR fairly recently to try to inform people what to do and not to be scared to do it. We don't have the same litigious culture as in the USA since our medical care is paid for by general taxation and free at the point of use (you don't need to sue someone to be able to afford medical bills). Someone on BBC Radio 4 said words to the effect that you can't make the situation any worse by performing CPR since technically the person's already dead, but you might just save their life. If I saw someone who I thought needed CPR, I'd have a go whether I thought I'd be sued or not. Is it really worth letting someone die unnecessarily?
I refuse to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed opponent [wikipedia.org].
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 14 2017, @09:18PM (2 children)
You know the funny thing, we in the US aren't litigious either [theguardian.com].
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday November 14 2017, @09:33PM
But you are so brave, you do everything to avoid a possible lawsuit.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by FatPhil on Wednesday November 15 2017, @05:58AM
Great minds discuss ideas; average minds discuss events; small minds discuss people; the smallest discuss themselves
(Score: 5, Interesting) by frojack on Tuesday November 14 2017, @09:46PM (7 children)
90% of people needing and getting CPR die anyway.
This was reported in this study, which I found rather odd.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2, Interesting) by khallow on Wednesday November 15 2017, @12:30AM
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Arik on Wednesday November 15 2017, @01:18AM (2 children)
Compared to 100% who don't get it, so that's still not bad.
If laughter is the best medicine, who are the best doctors?
(Score: 2) by lx on Wednesday November 15 2017, @03:31PM (1 child)
I'm not so sure. Quality of life is a factor as well. You could be giving the gift of months or even years of suffering.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 15 2017, @04:36PM
then we should have laws that let people decide to pull their own plug rather than paint them as victims of their own success because Religion or something.
(Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 15 2017, @05:03AM
Indeed, the vast majority of the time, CPR benefits the person administering the CPR more than it benefits the person receiving it (since that person usually dies).
But the survivor at least knows they tried something, even if it turned out to be for naught.
Much better if there is an AED around, which increases the survival rates immensely.
(Score: 2) by Thexalon on Wednesday November 15 2017, @02:03PM
It depends a lot on why their heart stopped in the first place.
For instance, survival rates are much higher if the heart stopped due to a lightning strike than if the heart had been deteriorating for a while before giving out.
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Wednesday November 15 2017, @07:39PM
It is a very true fact - CPR delivers a scary-small percentage of normal blood flow to the brain, 5% I believe. Open chest direct cardiac massage is "twice as good" at 10% of normal bloodflow. Both of which, while infinitely better than 0, are not that great.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 3, Informative) by Gaaark on Wednesday November 15 2017, @12:55AM
Yeah, that's like here in Canada: I'd have no fear here, but in the states, man.....
Here (as well), healthcare is free.
In the states, if a bone(s) are broken, someone has a bill to pay, so sue!!!!!
If you have little money/no healthcare, you are almost forced to sue.
Man, except for recent douche politicians, I love Canada. (I also love the fact that our winters are getting warmer: Thanks!, Global Warming Man!)
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---