The term “cough CPR,” which a patient can perform on their own, is mentioned on the internet. However, the American Heart Association (AHA) does not support it, and many medical professionals throughout the world have dismissed it as a fallacy.
During a medical emergency, there are a variety of life-saving techniques that one should be familiar with. The most important of these is CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
It entails quick chest compressions, which are sometimes paired with artificial breathing in an effort to revive a patient who may be unconscious and without a pulse. But can a patient perform CPR on themselves?
We got in touch with some medical professionals, who informed us that performing CPR on oneself is nearly difficult; instead, someone else must apply chest compressions to someone whose heart has stopped due to a cardiac arrest while they wait for emergency help to arrive.
According to Dr. Shaarang Sachdev, consultant and director of the emergency department of Aakash Healthcare, if a person has passed away, they are unable to perform CPR on themselves. “The brain won’t receive any blood when the heart stops beating. How will the patient know what to do in the situation?
He stated that when someone dies, regardless of their age, they have enough oxygen in the body for 5-7 minutes to undergo CPR. A spectator can adhere to certain guidelines while waiting for medical assistance. “First, make sure you’re safe. For example, you can’t perform CPR in the middle of the road. If the patient is semi-conscious, they will move when you tap their shoulders; if they are unconscious, they may be dead. Check for their respiration and pulse adjacent to their neck. Call an ambulance right once if there is no breathing or pulse, as performing CPR first may prevent the arrival of advanced medical assistance.
“After that, you begin applying chest compressions. The regulations have altered in Covid times; mouth-to-mouth [breathing] is no longer safe, and anyway, the body produces adequate oxygen. Dr. Sachdev advised pressing the chest’s centre consistently for at least 100 to 120 seconds, never going deeper than 5 cm.
The internet, however, mentions something called ‘cough CPR’, which the patient can do themselves. The American Heart Association (AHA) does not endorse it, and many health experts around the world have called it a myth.
Cough CPR can be used to “prolong the consciousness of a patient in a catheterization laboratory,” but it cannot be employed in a “pre-hospital setup,” according to Dr. Abhijeet Palshikar, interventional cardiologist and HOD Cardiology at Sahyadri Hospitals. “It is not as if the cardiac arrhythmia will abort if the patient coughs during arrhythmia… Instead of dialling 911 or making an appointment with a doctor, people [who think it will assist them] spend a lot of time coughing. It is wholly incorrect.
Adding to this, Prof. Dr G R Kane, head of cardiology at Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Navi Mumbai said that if someone is experiencing a heart attack, they must not exert themselves by walking and must immediately sit down.
Consuming water-soluble aspirin (in a liquid form when mixed with water) or a tablet containing isosorbide dinitrate is one of the answers. These medications are beneficial for heart failure because they can relax and widen blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more freely to the heart. The patient must be transported to the hospital right away, and a cardiac ambulance needs to be called right away, the doctor advised. He added that cough CPR, in which the patient is instructed to cough vigorously and repeatedly while taking deep breaths before each cough, is not advised because “when we have a heart attack, tissues in the heart can die, but the heart usually keeps beating,” the doctor said. CPR for the cough should not be performed in place of calling an ambulance.
Sudden cardiac episodes are “momentary,” according to Dr. Vivek Shama, associate consultant cardiologist at BLK Max Super Speciality Hospital, Pusa Road, New Delhi. “I’m sure you’ve seen individuals pass out during speeches… One does not feel it approaching; everything happens in a matter of seconds. The practise of self-CPR does not exist. A person who has passed out is unable to [revive oneself]. But in an emergency, one can adhere to the procedures for performing CPR on others. Lives could be saved, he added. Shocking cardiac episodes can be summed up as “momentary.” “I’m sure you’ve seen individuals pass out during speeches… One does not feel it approaching; everything happens in a matter of seconds. The practise of self-CPR does not exist. A person who has passed out is unable to [revive oneself]. But in an emergency, one can adhere to the procedures for performing CPR on others. Lives could be saved, he added.