Ever wonder what the CPR Survival Rate is? In most cases, CPR is connected to cardiac arrests. It can be administered to other patients, but this technique is only used when the heart stops working. Get your certification at a good CPR class that can train you in everything you need to know.
According to the latest report by the American Heart Association (AHA), there are around 356,000 cardiac arrests outside of a hospital. In 2015, the CDC stated that there were 357,000 people, which only proves that this number keeps a constant trajectory.
It’s only natural to wonder, “What is the survival rate of patients who receive CPR?”. AHA claims that this number is around 10%, but there are plenty of other statistics that can present a different picture, depending on the measurements used.
This article can help you find the answer by showcasing several survival statistics based on gender and bystander response, as well as present in-hospital success rates. Regardless of whether it was done by a layman in an out-of-hospital situation while waiting for emergency medical personnel or by a CPR expert, it is important to get a clear picture of the success rate of CPR.
Statistics by Gender and CPR Survival Rate
Unlike a heart attack, where the patient has several minutes before the heart completely stops working, a cardiac arrest can cause death due to the sudden loss of heart function. This can occur in someone who may or may not be diagnosed with heart disease.
CPR has become a practice that more people are prone to use when someone’s heart stops, as this can double or triple the chance of revival. According to a study conducted by Duke University, 45.7% of out-of-hospital patients survived, thanks to bystander CPR responses, while 40.6% were performed by first responders. This is why it’s a great idea for anyone to take a CPR course.
Statistics by Gender
One research published in the Journal of AHA has shown that this first response is more common in men rather than women. Researchers have confirmed that the improvement in the CPR Survival Rate is significant only for a limited number of patients, most of whom were young male victims.
This has been confirmed by statistics done in 2018, which showed that 45% of men in cardiac arrest survived by receiving bystander CPR as opposed to 39% of women. Namely, men’s chance of survival is higher – at 23%.
There are some factors that explain why women have worse outcomes. Namely, most women who have cardiac arrest are older than male victims and experience the event alone in their homes without anyone to help. Also, in comparison to male patients, women are more prone to disease of the heart muscle, also known as cardiomyopathy, and non-shockable rhythms, which CPR cannot improve.
Another possible factor for the lower survival rate of women might be the lack of intervention due to the hesitancy of respondents to remove women’s clothing or to touch their chest during CPR or AED.
Dr. Benjamin Abella, director of the University of Pennsylvania’s Center for Resuscitation Science, emphasizes the importance of CPR regardless of gender. He suggests that the more ways people come up with to perform effective CPR, the bigger the number of people who can return to their families.
Along with other researchers, he encourages taking action out-of-hospital and suggests that further research is needed to improve the performance of bystander CPR and automated external defibrillators (AED) in public places.
Bystander Witness Response and CPR Survival Rate
Data gathered from one study has confirmed that in 2021 out of 428 eligible cardiac arrest cases, 76.4% received it from a bystander, where 43.7% were performed in the absence of a healthcare provider. However, when it comes to bystander CPR, there is one additional study that further breaks down the matter by adding the race factor.
CPR Survival Rates by Race
According to the aforementioned study, out of the 110,054 identified OHCA, 35,469 (around 32%) happened in Black or Hispanic neighborhoods. This led to the conclusion that Black and Hispanic people received less bystander CPR help (38.5%) when compared to White people (47.4%). The numbers only increased when it came to receiving CPR in public places (45.6% as opposed to 60%).
The statistics concerning the survival rates among Black and Hispanic people, on one side, and White people, on the other, showed the same discrepancies. For example, even in predominantly Black or Hispanic neighborhoods, these races were less likely to receive CPR, and increase their chances of survival.
In-Hospital CPR Survival Rate
Another study based around CPR Survival Rate has concluded that 290,000 in-hospital cardiac arrests occur each year in the United States. Cardiac causes for in-hospital cases count for 50% to 60% of cardiac arrests, while respiratory causes include 15% to 40%. An effective interventional approach and a mechanism for recognizing patients with bad health conditions are necessary to avoid in-hospital cardiac arrest.
A different research study found that of the 14,720 cases, 17% survived, meaning they received hospital discharge. Also, almost 45% of adults who suffered an in-hospital cardiac arrest were rescued due to spontaneous circulation (ROSC).
Further research has confirmed that adults who survived discharge from the hospital faced better neurological outcomes than children.At the same time, pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrests have a higher chance of survival than adults.All hospital personnel have their CPR certification.
Chest compressions, breathing, early defibrillation when necessary, and urgent attention to possibly reversible causes, such as hyperkalemia or hypoxia, are the main components of improving the underlying health conditions, no matter the age of the patient.
The Crucial Time Frame for CPR Performance
The most important thing when someone goes into cardiac arrest or has lost consciousness due to different shocks that may have stopped the heart’s rhythm is performing CPR on time. It is also advised to perform this technique along with a defibrillator because it can increase the chances of survival.
Moreover, on-time CPR can help prevent additional damage and increase the CPR Survival Rate. For example, brain injury has been confirmed as one of the leading causes of death in patients resuscitated from cardiac arrest. To prevent this from happening, note that the optimal timeframe for CPR is between the first 4 minutes after the patient suffers cardiac arrest. In other words, the chances of survival are higher in the first few minutes.
Regarding brain damage, if CPR is not given in at least the first 6 minutes, the chances of survival are lower. Moreover, after the 10th minute, there are higher chances of developing additional issues or death.
Conclusion of CPR Survival Rate
Now that we looked at the CPR Survival Rate, let’s wrap up what we learned. Complementing our initial AHA study on the number of yearly US cardiac arrest cases, the Public Medical Center (PUB) has done a study where it has been found that more than 20,000 children in the US suffer cardiac arrest each year.
As you can see, the number of cardiac arrests is serious, but the chances of survival are higher for those who received CPR outside their home.In most cases, cardiac arrests or other cases that can lead to the need for CPR that happen at home have lower chances of survival.
This is why the need for highly effective CPR training is always emphasized. Learning the right way to administer CPR allows you to lend a helping hand and improves the overall quality of life.