Common Side Effects of CPR Everyone Should Know?

CPR is a lifesaving procedure that can be performed on people who are experiencing cardiac arrest or other life-threatening conditions.

Unfortunately, resuscitation can also cause some unpleasant after-effects and injuries. The good news is that the side effects of CPR are temporary and treatable.

In the United States, more than 350,000 people suffer from cardiac arrest each year. According to a study published in the journal Circulation in 2002, CPR causes pain and discomfort in up to 50 percent of patients.

The study also found that this pain and discomfort often results from the compression of the sternum during chest compressions. 

11 Possible Side Effects of CPR

There are many side effects associated with CPR. These can range from minor to severe and even life-threatening.

Minor CPR side effects:

The most common CPR side effects are minor, such as a sore throat or headache.

  1. Dry mouth or throat. 

It’s normal to feel thirsty after CPR. Drinking fluids often helps prevent this problem.

  1. Nausea or vomiting. 

This usually goes away within a few hours after CPR. If you vomit, let your doctor know right away so they can adjust your treatment plan.

  1. Throat irritation (pharyngitis). 

Symptoms include pain in the throat, difficulty swallowing, and a sore throat that doesn’t go away within 24 hours. If you have these symptoms for more than 24 hours, talk to your doctor about what to do next.

Severe side effects of CPR

Here are some of the most severe CPR side effects you should be aware of:

  1. Chest pain. 

This is caused by the pressure on your chest during CPR and can last up to two weeks after the procedure.

The pain may also move from one side of your chest to another, or it may come in waves. It will usually subside with time and rest, but if it persists or gets worse, contact your doctor right away.

  1. Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing. 

This is caused by fluid leaking into your lungs while they’re being compressed during CPR, which can lead to pneumonia or other lung infections.

You may also experience shortness of breath due to anxiety before or after you receive CPR, but if that’s not the case and your symptoms persist, contact your doctor right away.

  1. Dizziness or lightheadedness when standing up quickly. 

This is caused by low blood pressure during CPR, which causes blood flow to be redirected away from your brain so that it can go toward keeping your heart pumping (which keeps oxygen flowing through your body).

  1. Brain damage.

Brain damage is one side effect of CPR. The AHA estimates CPR can cause brain damage in up to 20 percent of cases. The main reason for this is that blood flow stops and starts during CPR, which can lead to swelling in the brain and other complications.

If a person has had a stroke or has bleeding in the brain before CPR begins, there’s even more risk of this type of injury happening during chest compressions.

  1. Hearing loss. 

Hearing loss is another possible side effect of CPR. This happens when fluid builds up inside the ear canal or eardrum during compression, causing hearing loss that may last several days after treatment stops.

  1. Muscle bruising and damage. 

Chest compressions during CPR can cause bruising or other muscle injuries in some people because of their forceful nature (it’s estimated that about 15 percent of people experience this).

Bruising may also occur on other parts of the body where pressure was applied during resuscitation efforts. And while most bruises heal on their own within a few days, others may last longer.

  1. An increased risk for blood clots

CPR can increase your risk of developing blood clots because it forces blood through vessels more quickly than normal.

Blood clots are known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT), which can lead to pulmonary embolisms (PE). A PE occurs when a clot breaks off from a DVT and travels through the bloodstream until it lodges in an artery leading from your heart (pulmonary) or brain (cerebral).

  1. Broken ribs or sternum

CPR may cause broken ribs or a fractured sternum (chest bone). This happens because the chest wall is compressed during compressions, and this can result in bone fractures.

Is There a Way to Reduce the Possible Side Effects of CPR?

CPR is a lifesaving procedure, but it can also cause serious harm. People who have CPR may develop broken ribs or other injuries from the force required to do chest compressions.

They may experience pain in the chest or shortness of breath after returning to normal breathing. They may also suffer from pneumonia from having their airway opened and closed repeatedly during CPR.

There are ways to reduce these CPR side effects.

  1. Teach proper chest compressions

For example, people should be taught how to perform CPR first aid correctly so that they can avoid breaking ribs and bruising the lungs.

  1. Use mouth-to-mouth instead of mouth-to-nose resuscitation

Also, they should learn how to use special techniques like mouth-to-mouth resuscitation instead of mouth-to-nose resuscitation to avoid trauma to the airway when performing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

  1. Don’t do CPR longer than 30 minutes

If the person doesn’t respond after 30 minutes of CPR, stop doing compressions and call 911.

Your efforts may be futile and could even cause harm by making blood pressure drop too low or causing heart failure from excessive loss of blood from all the external bleeding caused by CPR.

  1. Avoid mouth-to-mouth if you have an infection

Don’t give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if you’ve got a cold or other infection that could be passed on to the victim.

  1. Avoid chest compressions if you’re tired

Don’t give chest compressions if you’re tired or upset, which can make you more likely to miss a beat, according to the AHA.

  1. Don’t carry anything else when issuing chest compressions

Don’t use your hands for anything else while performing chest compressions, such as holding an IV bag or telephone receiver — and don’t let anyone else do these things either.

Post CPR Care: How to Manage the Side Effects of CPR

There are some steps you can take after CPR has been administered to help minimize any possible side effects:

  1. Rest and hydration (for dry throat, dizziness, nausea)

Rest is recommended for at least 24 hours after a person has had CPR because it allows the body time to heal itself.

Drinking lots of water or sports drinks is also helpful because they help replace lost electrolytes (salt and potassium) in your bloodstream. There are also supplements available that contain these electrolytes if you need them right away.

  1. Medications (for chest pains, shortness of breath)

Taking over-the-counter medications like ibuprofen or Tylenol (acetaminophen) may help relieve soreness from chest compressions and breathing into someone’s mouth during CPR. Your doctor may prescribe stronger pain relievers if your pain persists for more than a few days

  1. Managing bruising, swelling & bleeding

Most people experience some swelling in the area where chest compressions were performed, which may be felt as firmness under the skin or an indentation when pressed lightly with a finger or knuckle.

Bruising usually develops within hours after resuscitation, appears as a purplish-red color on the skin surface, and gradually fades over time. However, if bruising does not fade away after a few weeks, it may be due to internal bleeding within the chest cavity (hematoma).

In this case, you should seek medical attention immediately because hematomas can cause serious complications such as pneumonia and infections of the lung tissue.

  1. Managing broken ribs

A broken rib is usually caused by the chest compressions used to pump blood back into your heart. You might even notice a popping sound when this happens, which is referred to as “bronchial breathing.”

While broken ribs can be painful, they typically heal on their own within a few weeks at most — provided there’s no other underlying medical condition involved.

However, if your ribs are still bothering you after more than six weeks, then it might be worth scheduling an appointment with your doctor for further evaluation.

  1. Blood clots

Blood clots may form after CPR due to the decrease in blood flow to the heart and lungs during chest compressions. If you experience swelling in one of your legs or arms after CPR, contact your doctor immediately.

Blood clots (remedies for blood clots): Blood clots can be treated using medicines like Dalteparin and Fragmin which help dissolve clotting factors and prevent clot formation in veins and arteries.

These drugs can be easily obtained from your doctor without any prescription as they are over-the-counter medications.

Final Words on the Side Effects of CPR

While the chances of encountering more than one side effect at the same time are relatively low, there is a chance that it can happen. Most of these side effects are temporary and will wear off, or are treatable or preventable.

It’s always important to keep these potential side effects in mind when administering CPR so that you can resuscitate a victim without affecting their future well-being.