One Minute of CPR Training can Help Bystanders Save Lives in Emergencies

A new study presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2013 suggests that just one minute of CPR video training can help people save lives in emergency situations.

Researchers used a one-minute CPR video to improve responsiveness and teach compression only CPR to people with no CPR experience.Participants were divided into two groups: 48 adults looked at the video, while 47 sat idle for one minute. In a private area with a mannequin simulating a sudden collapse, both groups were asked to do "what they thought best." Researchers measured responsiveness as time to call 9-1-1 and start chest compression and CPR quality reflected by chest compression depth, rate and hands-off interval time.Adults who saw the CPR video called 9-1-1 more frequently, initiated chest compression sooner, had an increased chest compression rate and a decreased hands-off interval, researchers said."Given the short length of training, these findings suggest that ultra-brief video training may have potential as a universal intervention for public venues to help bystander reaction and improve CPR skills," said Ashish Panchal, M.D., Ph.D. lead researcher of the study.