The American Heart Association released a new set of guidelines today on the proper way to do cardiopulmonary resucitation, or CPR.
Chris Bader owes his life to his wife Debra who helped him after he suffered a heart attach.
"I immediately fetched the cell phone out of his pocket and dialed 911 and started hands-only CPS compressions." said Chris' wife, Debra Bader.
Recent studies show that chest compressions onle are just as effective as traditional CPR. So, the American Heart Associateion unbeiled a new CPS sequence.
Instead of A-B-C, Airway, Breathing, Compressions, the order is now C-A-B, Compressions, Airway, Breathing.
"Start with compressions and then after you perform your compressions you can open the airway and give your breaths" said Sarah Gillen, CPR instructor with the American Heart Association.
The AHA says all victims in cardiac arrest need chest compressions. In the first few minutes after a collapse, they still have oxygen in their lungs and bloodstream. The sooner someone starts the compressions, the sooner the oxygen-rich blood gets to the victim's brain and heart.
"Seconds count during these emergencies and the longer we take checking people, we're avoiding starting to help them." said Gillen.
The new guidelines also call for faster chest compresions at a rate of at least 100 times a minute. The compressions should also be deeper, at least two inches in adults.
The change in the CPR sequence applies to adults, children and infants, but not newborns.
