[at-l] CPR Useless?

[nealb at midlandstech.edu (William Neal)]

Again, sorry that I am replying late, but being away and remoting to my
email account "applies a vacuum"....

If I gave anyone the idea that I thought trying CPR was useless, I
apologize.  I meant that in an outdoor situation (except the civilized
parks), CPR may do little if anything because usually the victim will need
to get to a med facility within a short time.  I believe the term that best
expresses this is "Golden Hour".  If you cannot get to a proper facility in
that time, you are likely to die.  Of course there are exceptions: Imagine
you hit a tractor trailer while you are going 50 plus MPH and that you
T-bone him.  And imagine that the truck is going 60 plus MPH. Think you're
going to survive?  Especially if you're trapped for well over two hours?  I
did.

By all means, try.  Just don't get upset if it does not work.  You've done
your best and that's all you can do.

William, The Lucky Turtle

-----Original Message-----
From: greyowl@rcn.com [mailto:greyowl@rcn.com]
Sent: Friday, August 01, 2003 7:44 PM
To: rick boudrie; at-l@mailman.backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [at-l] CPR Useless? 


I don't kinow in how much depth this question has been answered, 
but I need to give it a shot.  CPR is not useless and one should 
have their training updated yearly, I do.  Now for some statistics.

1.  If the patient needs cpr it is mor than likely that that person will 
die.  The mortality rate is 80 - 90 % (even in a medical facility).

2.  If you have been doing cpr on a patient more than 20 minutes 
their survival rate is 0.

3.  There is something called the golden hour, if a hearrt attack 
victim gets to the hospital with one hour of the attack they have 
pretty good odds of surviving.  Hikers don't have a chance unless 
they are near a trail head and near a medical center.

4.  You do not have to give a victim CPR, but if you do you must 
continue to do so until you are too exhausted that you cannot 
provide it (It is nearly impossible to do more then 15 minutes by 
yourself).

Have said tyhat I did CPR on a person who had a heart attack and 
his heart stopped beating.  He lived.

Grey Owl



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