This week's question is a follow up from a previous one about AED's.

Have you ever had to use CPR or an AED in an actual emergency situation?

No
Yes - CPR
Yes - AED
Yes - Both

Heimlich

I've used the Heimlich once, so the first aid training helped

Cpr

I have had occassion to administer CPR twice in my life, neither related to electric shock. In one case the subject had been struck by a car and I was the first person to reach him. He had no pulse and didn't recover. In the other case the person was conscious when his wife asked for assistance as he was diabetic and going into shock because his blood sugar was crashing. He lost consciousness and his heart stopped. I administered CPR with another person who had stopped to help, but this gentleman didn't survive either.

I was sufficiently disturbed by the failure of my second attempt at CPR to inquire of my father, who was a nurse, if I may be doing something incorrectly. He told me that a figured he had heard in the health care industry was less than 15% of all people who require CPR for full cardiac arrest actually respond to it. I'm not sure how accurate this figure is now, my incident was over 10 years ago, but one of the things I've read about the advent of AEDs is that they will administer aid in the stages of heart failure the preceed complete arrest, which is when CPR is required. I guess catching it before the heart stops is what makes the application of AEDs more successful than administering CPR, at least in cases of complete cardiac arrest.

Well,I guess it must be a great experience for you.Saving life is not that easy but if you revive a patient experiencing cardiac arrest it is very fulfilling on your part.However, I have read recently that Automated Electronic Defibrillators do not improve survival rates in hospitals.In short, automated electronic defibrillators are useful and effective in saving lives, but they are not necessarily the best option in hospital cardiac wards, where staff and nurses are trained in emergency cardiac care.I've read it here:Automated defibrillators could be costing lives in hospitals.Well, does this mean manual chest compression is way better than AEDs?.

I have carried out CPR on a Cardiac arrest person that I knew very well and he did not pull through after working on him for over 1 hour until medical help arrived. I was quite depressed that it had not worked and at the time the attending doctor told me that it only gave a 10 - 15% survival rate but was still worth doing even with that success rate. An AED is only of any use if the haert is in a nonrythmic state but still beating as I understand it, if the heart has fully stopped beating then only CPR is of use and the AED will not restart a motionless heart

Dave Sargent
Origin Energy NZ

My FedEx delivery man had a heart attack at my office. A policeman and I administered CPR until another officer showed up with an AED. He survived and is doing well.

we attend yearly cpr/first aid training here at work. Redcross has elimated the assisted breathing portion and now, they train only to keep the blood moving with chest compressions.

from what i've heard by all of our instructors, is that you won't revive a person with chest compressions, they're only meant o circulate the blood and keep the brain alive until someone shows up with an AED.

i haven't experienced the guilt that goes along with losing someone, but for me, i think it would be less than just standing by watching and doing nothing.

hopefully i never have to go through this at work or out in the public.

Without bystander CPR starting before EMS arrives there is no chance of success which is why I now dedicate my life to training people to know what to do. Learn even the most basic hands only CPR to be able to begin the process before professional help arrives.