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Emergency workers praise CPR method
By Jen Scherer
Daily News staff writer
Though it's too soon to gauge its success, Beloit paramedics are praising a new CPR method which they hope the public will adopt.
Since June, Beloit paramedics have had 10 cardiac patients receive chest compression only CPR. Two of these walked away from the hospital with no neurological damage, which is an increase from previous percentages, Acting Lt. Joe Murray said.
While it's too early to say whether the new method has a higher success rate, Murray said the possibility is worth changing the technique.
"If that reflects on what our save rate could end up doing that would be a phenomenal increase," Murray said. "That would be 22 percent from 4 to 5 percent (saved)."
The method of chest compression only CPR outside of hospitals came to Rock County through the efforts of Dr. Mike Kellum and Dr. Richard Barney, the latter who oversees the city's paramedic program and is an emergency medical specialist with Beloit Memorial Hospital.
"We'll have good data within a year to see what the differences are," Barney said.
The key to the new method, which is appropriate only for those people who go into sudden cardiac arrest, is to go right into 100 chest compressions per minute, Barney said, adding that the idea is to circulate the oxygen in the blood through the body.
With the old method of CPR, when they'd stop to give the ventilation, they'd actually lose blood pressure and have to start all over, Murray said.
"You're focusing more on compression and circulating the blood volume through the heart, getting more oxygen to the heart," Murray said of the new method.
Research has actually shown that bystanders struggle to clear an airway and often have such difficulty with ventilation they don't get to the chest compressions, Barney said.
Bystander chest compression CPR is very important to the survival of the person in cardiac arrest, and Barney said they want to get the word out to bystanders.
"We want them to know that it's very important to get on the chest, if they witness someone going into cardiac arrest," Murray said.
Barney said if someone collapses, first shake them and, if they are unresponsive and not breathing, begin chest compressions.
"It is better to err on the side of safety and start compression if you're not sure," Barney said. "911 should be called first and then, get on the chest, right in the center of the ...breast bone, (compress) 100 times per minute, and don't stop until EMS arrives and you're told to stop. It's that simple."
The main thing is to realize it is helpful and not harmful to get involved.
"You're not doing them any good by just sitting back and watching," Murray said. "You're actually causing more harm."
The doctors have put together a Web site on the program which is being used throughout Rock and Walworth Counties. The Web site, www.callandpump.org, will eventually list data the doctors have collected on the success of the program.
Barney confirmed they've made a training video as well, though it isn't completed.
Rock and Walworth counties were only the second community to use chest compression CPR outside of the hospital. Barney said since they've done it, others have begun using the method as well.
Barney stressed that this method is not recommended in any case where the patient had a cardiac arrest because of a lack of oxygen, such as in a drowning.
"We want breathing for those patients immediately," Barney said.
Since June, Beloit paramedics have had 10 cardiac patients receive chest compression only CPR. Two of these walked away from the hospital with no neurological damage, which is an increase from previous percentages, Acting Lt. Joe Murray said.
While it's too early to say whether the new method has a higher success rate, Murray said the possibility is worth changing the technique.
"If that reflects on what our save rate could end up doing that would be a phenomenal increase," Murray said. "That would be 22 percent from 4 to 5 percent (saved)."
The method of chest compression only CPR outside of hospitals came to Rock County through the efforts of Dr. Mike Kellum and Dr. Richard Barney, the latter who oversees the city's paramedic program and is an emergency medical specialist with Beloit Memorial Hospital.
"We'll have good data within a year to see what the differences are," Barney said.
The key to the new method, which is appropriate only for those people who go into sudden cardiac arrest, is to go right into 100 chest compressions per minute, Barney said, adding that the idea is to circulate the oxygen in the blood through the body.
With the old method of CPR, when they'd stop to give the ventilation, they'd actually lose blood pressure and have to start all over, Murray said.
"You're focusing more on compression and circulating the blood volume through the heart, getting more oxygen to the heart," Murray said of the new method.
Research has actually shown that bystanders struggle to clear an airway and often have such difficulty with ventilation they don't get to the chest compressions, Barney said.
Bystander chest compression CPR is very important to the survival of the person in cardiac arrest, and Barney said they want to get the word out to bystanders.
"We want them to know that it's very important to get on the chest, if they witness someone going into cardiac arrest," Murray said.
Barney said if someone collapses, first shake them and, if they are unresponsive and not breathing, begin chest compressions.
"It is better to err on the side of safety and start compression if you're not sure," Barney said. "911 should be called first and then, get on the chest, right in the center of the ...breast bone, (compress) 100 times per minute, and don't stop until EMS arrives and you're told to stop. It's that simple."
The main thing is to realize it is helpful and not harmful to get involved.
"You're not doing them any good by just sitting back and watching," Murray said. "You're actually causing more harm."
The doctors have put together a Web site on the program which is being used throughout Rock and Walworth Counties. The Web site, www.callandpump.org, will eventually list data the doctors have collected on the success of the program.
Barney confirmed they've made a training video as well, though it isn't completed.
Rock and Walworth counties were only the second community to use chest compression CPR outside of the hospital. Barney said since they've done it, others have begun using the method as well.
Barney stressed that this method is not recommended in any case where the patient had a cardiac arrest because of a lack of oxygen, such as in a drowning.
"We want breathing for those patients immediately," Barney said.
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