By Shelly Kofler
KERA News (NPR)
DALLAS — The survival rate for cardiac arrest patients has improved dramatically, thanks to research being done in North Texas and around the country. Study results being released today in “Circulation” magazine confirm what KERA reported two years ago- that repeated chest compressions have dramatically improved the survival rate for cardiac arrest patients.
In 2006 a sudden cardiac arrest victim in Mesquite had just a three percent chance of surviving. Last year that survival rate was four times higher- 12 percent. The reason?
Paramedics and doctors discovered that instead of first trying to get the patient to a hospital or use mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, the most important immediate treatment is repeated chest compressions.
Full Story: More North Texans surviving sudden cardiac arrest