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You might have heard this week that the American Heart Association (AHA) released new guidelines on performing CPR – specifically stating that new research has shown that you can start compressions immediately and that rescue breaths are optional.
We at the American Red Cross learned of the new CPR guidelines when everyone else did yesterday, so our experts are busy today reviewing this new research to determine an official stance. Hang tight and watch our website and this blog for their conclusions this week.
In the meantime, please note that the American Red Cross does support the use of hands-only CPR for cardiac emergencies which occur outside of a health care setting. Arming yourself with knowledge of hands-only CPR could be effective if you find yourself in a bystander role during an emergency. You can leap into action like CPR cat and save a life by getting trained.