Immediate chest compressions can save lives when someone collapses and stops breathing — call 120 and fetch an AED too

1. Immediate chest compressions can save lives when someone collapses and stops breathing — call 120 and fetch an AED too

Cost: This costs nothing. A CPR course from the Red Cross or a hospital lasts half a day to a full day, and one training session is enough for years of use. Even without prior training, you can do it: place both hands on top of each other at the midpoint between the nipples, then press down hard at a rate of about 2 times per second without stopping.

In plain terms: Most people you’d need to help are family members — 79.2% of cardiac arrests happen at home. When someone performs CPR, the survival rate jumps from 3.9% to 16.1%. If a person is unresponsive and not breathing, start compressions right away. Position your hands at the midpoint between the nipples, press down hard at 2 times per second, and keep going. Ask a second person to call 120 and bring an AED; you must not stop compressing.

Benefit: Meta-analysis of 79 studies involving 142,740 participants shows that overall, only 7.6% of people suffering from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survive to leave the hospital. For those receiving CPR from bystanders, the survival rate rises from 3.9% to 16.1%. While 53% of cardiac arrests are witnessed by someone nearby, only 32% actually get CPR. The BASIC-OHCA registry in China recorded 38,227 emergency cases; among them, 30,282 cases (79.2%) occurred at home. In this group, the bystander CPR rate was 20.3%, and the survival rate was just 1.2%. The correct sequence is to start compressions first, then ask someone else to call 120 and fetch an AED; once the AED is powered on, follow its voice prompts.

Evidence grade: A

Sources: Sasson C et al. (2010). Predictors of survival from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. <https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCOUTCOMES.109.889576>; Zheng J et al. (2023). Incidence, process of care, and outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in China: a prospective study of the BASIC-OHCA registry. The Lancet Public Health. <https://doi.org/10.1016/S2468-2667(23)00173-1>; National People's Congress (2020). Civil Code (Article 184). <https://www.spp.gov.cn/spp/fl/202006/t20200602_463888.shtml>

Notes: Do not pinch the philtrum first, do not look for family members, and do not record a video. Also, do not hesitate to press hard for fear of breaking ribs. Article 184 of China’s Civil Code states that anyone who voluntarily provides emergency aid and accidentally causes injury to the victim still bears no civil liability.