Show External lean Heart Massage Saves Lives The American Heart Association Association tion the American National Red Cross Industrial Medical Association and US U.S. Public lublic Health Service in a joint statement state statement ment have declared that five years ears of experience have established established established external heart massage as an effective saving life-saving technique tech tech- TilE THE FOUR groups through an editorial in Circulation scientific journal of the American Anion Ameri can Heart Association have called for application of this proved and accepted lifesaving lifesaving lifesaving sav life ing technique as an emergency cy procedure to be applied by certain properly trained Indi Indi- The Utah Heart A Association through its Pulmonary Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation Panel has completed Com com- Completed its first year of teachIng teaching teaching teach teach- ing this technique with widespread widespread wide wide- spread success The panel of physicians assisted by nurses and technicians has presented a total of 21 programs for physicians physicians phy phy- nurses and dentists Seven hundred and twentythree twenty twenty- t y- y three persons the majority physicians have attended these programs TIlE THE EDITORIAL in Circulation Circulation lation points out that a survival survival sur sur- vival viva rate of 25 per cent has been reported In a collected series of 1270 patients who have received this treatment Prompt application of exter- exter al heart massage technical technical- technically ly closed-chest closed cardiopulmonary ary resuscitation in coronary attacks as in other cases of heart stoppage has enabled lives to be saved which would previously have been lost TIlE THE RESUSCITATOR must be thoroughly trained in artificial artificial artificial cial respiration as well as in cardiac massage the statement statement state state- ment points out The artificial respiration is vital to maintain the body's oxygen supply Successful resuscitation can be performed by one person giving both artificial respiration respiration respiration tion and heart massage but it itis itis itis is preferable that two qualified persons work over the patient one maintaining respiration by mouth to mouth breath n g while the other massages the heart externally through regular regular regu regu- lar pressure over the the the- I lower half of the breast bone SUDDEN death has been reversed by these procedures in a variety of circumstances such as drowning electric shock asphyxiation heart attacks attacks at at- tacks or heart stoppage during during dur duro ing or surgery ar a r cording carding to the statement Resuscitation Re Re- Resuscitation by emergency tecH tecH- tecHniques must often subsequently subsequent subsequent- ly Iy be sustained by additional medical treatment to reestablish reestablish reestablish lish the circulation permanent permanent- ly Iy This may include the use of drugs or special electrical equipment Any injuries to patients due to closed-chest closed o 0 n nare nare nare when are more likely to occur heart massage is applied by untrained individuals the statement statement statement state state- ment notes THE TIlE program in Utah Is a part of the professional education education education ed ed- ed- ed carried out with the dollars contributed to the Heart Fund For advice about your heart always ask your doctor For information ask y your you o u r Heart Association |