Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can help save lives of heart attack victims. The emergency procedure involves rhythmic chest compression.

Performing CPR can help revive the victim whose heart has stopped due to cardiac arrest.

CPR is generally provided manually by hands. However, there are also mechanical devices that perform CPR automatically. These devices are designed to give continuous compression of about 5 cm depth at a rate of 100 per minute.

In this article, we will present scientific evidence regarding the effectiveness of mechanical CPR devices as compared to manual CPR.

Mechanical vs. Manual CPR Devices: What Does Science Say?

A lot of researchers have compared the effectiveness of mechanical chest compression devices and mechanical devices. Most of the studies did not find any evidence that demonstrates that mechanical compression is better. In light of the evidence, the American Heart Association has recommended that manual compression will remain the standard of care in hospital settings.

One group of researchers carried out 3 in-hospital and 9-out-of-hospital studies to compare the effectiveness of mechanical versus manual compressions. They had examined a total of 11,162 participants and used meta-analysis to compare the results. Findings reveal that there were no significant differences between the two devices.

Another group of researchers carried out a study known as Prehospital Randomized Assessment of a Mechanical Compression Device in Cardiac Arrest (PARAMCDIC). Their findings also suggested that there was no significant improvement in survival rate on using a mechanical device to perform CPR.

In fact, they had found that applying force using a mechanical device increased the risk of injuries. A lot of postmortem studies have found that using mechanical devices to perform CPR greatly increases the risk of injuries. One student found that the odds of injury when using mechanical devices as compared to manual compression were 30 to 1.

Conclusion

Most of the studies found that mechanical compressions are ineffective as compared to manual compression.  That’s why it’s important to perform manual compression as opposed to chest compression.

Make sure to use the right technique when performing CPR. Using the wrong technique will not only be ineffective in reviving a victim, it could also hurt the patient. The hands must be placed at the right positions to correctly perform resuscitation. Also, it’s important to perform compressions at the right rate.

Techniques for performing CPR vary. The best and most convenient way to learn about CPR is through an online training course. CPR classes online will allow you to learn about the emergency technique at your own pace. Learning about the essential lifesaving technique will allow you to provide immediate assistance in case of a medical emergency.  Having a CPR card will also increase your employability as you will be a valuable asset for any company due to knowing about the life-saving skill.