A new CPR technique has become a national topic in recent news after studies have shown a higher survival rate compared commonly-taught CPR techniques. Called compression-only CPR, this method eliminates the use of mouth-to-mouth ventilation during CPR, and instead focuses on the need for fast, deep compressions.

There are many reasons why compression-only CPR is showing improved survival rates. Most importantly, bystanders typically don’t like performing mouth-to-mouth on strangers. Less than 1/3 of victims receive bystander CPR. However, without the need for mouth-to-mouth, there is a higher call-to-action, even with people who have had no training at all.

Another reason why this method may show higher survival rates is because there is an oxygen reserve after collapse that helps to reduce the need for breaths. While we used to think that as soon as one stops breathing they have no oxygen in their blood, recent studies show oxygen-rich blood, even minutes after the fact. The oxygen is there, but it needs to be manually pumped by CPR compressions, so that it flows through the blood stream and to the end organs such as the brain and heart.

Finally, it takes multiple chest compressions to get a forward flow of blood from the heart. If you have ever been camping where there is a hand pump, you may remember that it takes multiple pumps to prime the pump before water will travel up the pipe and out the spout. Being that the heart is a pump, we see a similar scenario. In the past, we would just do enough compressions to “prime” the heart. We would then stop for several seconds to give breaths, causing the pump to have to be re-primed.

So what does this mean for you? You may adopt the new technique or stick with what you learned during your last course. Whatever technique you use, as long as you act, you may just save a life.