Push harder during CPR

The majority of people untrained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and even many trained emergency personnel such as firefighters, do not push with enough force to administer CPR properly, according to research at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.

"This is important because every minute lost in applying CPR results in a 10% decrease in successful resuscitation," says Leslie Geddes, professor emeritus of biomedical engineering. "Time is the enemy. After 10 minutes, very few are resuscitated."

The American Heart Association recommends pushing with enough force to compress the chest one-and-one-half to two inches, which requires 100 to 125 pounds of force. The success rate for CPR ranges from five to 10%, depending on how quickly it is administered after a person's heart stops.

"One reason for the low resuscitation rate is that people don't apply enough force and because there is no feedback signal to tell you whether you are pushing hard enough on the chest," Geddes explains. However, he adds, pushing with more than 125 pounds of force increases the potential for rib fractures.

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