Learn CPR

Their has been a rumor circulating on the internet for a couple of years recommending “Cough CPR”. Unfortunately, this rumor lives on!!

If you are alone and have symptoms of a heart attack you should:

1. Stop whatever activity you are doing.
2. Call 911 or the emergency response number for your area.
3. If you are driving, pull over, after calling EMS, try to flag down a motorist to assist you.
4. Remain calm. Help is on the way.

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is the first aid for an unresponsive victim, that is not breathing and their heart is not pumping. You can not perform CPR on yourself.

Below is a statement from the UK Resuscitation Council. This is the general consensus  from resuscitation organizations around the world.

UK Resuscitaiton Council on Cough CPR (self CPR).

The BLS/AED Subcommittee has received a number of enquiries from people who have been informed about “cough CPR” and “How to survive a heart attack when alone”. Advice has been put on the Internet that someone who thinks he or she is suffering a heart attack should repeatedly cough and go at once to a hospital, by car if necessary.

This advice is based (very loosely) on published case reports of people being able to maintain some sort of cardiac output during cardiac arrest by vigorous coughing - so-called “cough CPR”. The scenario has usually been of a patient developing ventricular fibrillation whilst being monitored, often whilst undergoing cardiac catheterisation. The patient has been encouraged to cough and a measurable circulation has been recorded. This anecdotal evidence supports the theory that chest compressions during CPR are successful because they increase intrathoracic pressure and result in a flow of blood. The collapsed veins and patent arteries at the thoracic inlet result in this flow being in a forward direction. Coughing produces the same effect.

The BLS/AED Subcommittee knows of no evidence that, even if a lone patient knew that cardiac arrest had occurred, he or she would be able to maintain sufficient circulation to allow activity, let alone driving to the hospital.