The physiological effect on rescuers of doing 2 min of uninterrupted chest compressions

• Published in: Resuscitation 2007-07, Vol.74 (1), p.108-112
• Main Authors: Riera, Salvador Quintana, González, Baltasar Sánchez, Álvarez, Josep Trenado, Fernández, María del Mar Fernández, Saura, Jaume Mestre
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Blood. Blood coagulation. Reticuloendothelial system; Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR); Chest compression; CPR guidelines; Emergency; Emergency and intensive cardiocirculatory care. Cardiogenic shock. Coronary intensive care; Intensive care medicine; Medical sciences; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Rescuer fatigue
• ISSN: 0300-9572; 1873-1570
• DOI: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2006.10.031

Summary Objectives To analyse how rescuers tolerate the effort derived of giving uninterrupted chest compressions during 2 min. Materials and methods Twenty-three healthy volunteers, nurses and doctors of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), members of the hospital cardiac arrest team, were enrolled in the study. Using a training manikin, participants were asked to perform chest compressions during 2 min at a rate of 100 min−1 . The oxygen saturation and cardiac rate of the subjects were monitored using pulse oximetry before and after one and 2 min performing chest compressions. The percentage of the maximal heart rate of the rescuer over the theoretical maximum allowed in a conventional stress test was calculated, taking into account age and body mass index (BMI) of the subjects. Fatigue was measured using a visual analogical scale (VAS). Results The means (±S.D.) of chest compressions in the first and second minutes were 103 ± 12, and 104 ± 11, respectively. The mean percent of the maximum heart rate observed was 61 ± 8%. None of the subjects had difficulties to complete the test. All subjects recovered their basal values in less than 2 min, and the mean value recorded in the VAS was 3 ± 2. Conclusions The practice of uninterrupted chest compressions during 2 min by the same rescuer is well tolerated by health professionals trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).