According to the American Heart Association (n.d.-b), immediate CPR after a sudden cardiac arrest can triple a cardiac arrest victim’s chance of survival, but just over 40% of people who collapse outside a hospital receive bystander CPR (American Red Cross, n.d.).
Every Second Counts During a Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) occurs when the heart’s electrical system malfunctions and causes the heart to stop beating. It strikes unexpectedly, often in people with no obvious prior symptoms, and it’s a leading cause of death in the U.S. (American Heart Association, n.d.-c). Emergency services treat more than 350,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) in the United States every year (American Red Cross, n.d.). But, tragically, about 90% of those who collapse outside a hospital don’t survive the event (NewYork-Presbyterian, n.d.-a). Brain cells begin to die within five minutes of oxygen deprivation, and for every minute a person in cardiac arrest doesn’t receive CPR and defibrillation, their odds of survival drop by about 10% (MedlinePlus, 2024; American Red Cross, n.d.).
That’s why immediate action is so important. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) keeps some blood moving to the brain and heart, even if performed by someone without medical training, and that buys the victim time until professional responders arrive. CPR can double or even triple a victim’s odds of survival if started right away (American Heart Association, n.d.-e). “It’s frustrated me my entire career how we lose people to sudden cardiac arrest because people do not know what to do—and what to do is so simple,” says Dr. Holly Andersen, a cardiologist who advocates for broader CPR training (NewYork-Presbyterian, n.d.-b).
What Is Hands-Only CPR?
Traditional CPR includes cycles of 30 compressions and two rescue breaths (Sayre et al., 2008). In 2008, the American Heart Association updated its guidelines to promote “hands-only” CPR for teens and adults who suddenly collapse (Shilling, R., 2016). That’s because, according to Sayre et al. (2008), “Adult victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest who receive bystander hands-only (compression-only) CPR or conventional CPR have a similar chance of survival” (para. 17). The simplified approach has proven effective at boosting bystander response.
According to the American Red Cross (n.d.-b), only about 40% of cardiac arrest victims receive any CPR from bystanders. That’s partly because many bystanders hesitate to give mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to a stranger because they fear doing it wrong or contracting a disease. Other people freeze in the face of life-and-death stress. That reluctance to help leads to unnecessary tragedy. Dr. Andersen of NewYork-Presbyterian (n.d.-b) says that “action can save a life. With inaction, people die needlessly” (para. 4). The good news is that help for bystanders is just a call away. When 911 dispatchers instruct callers in hands-only CPR, bystander response rates can increase significantly (American Heart Association, 2024).
Key Steps for Hands-Only CPR
Bystanders in Woburn—or anywhere else—can perform hands-only CPR by following these basic steps:
- Check and Call – Tap the person and shout to see if they respond. Call 911 immediately if there’s no response or normal breathing. Many 911 dispatchers are trained to coach CPR over the phone, and Massachusetts is advancing legislation to require such training (Perron, 2022).
- Position Hands – Lay the person flat on their back on a firm surface. Kneel beside their chest. Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest (between the nipples), and put your other hand on top, interlocking your fingers.
- Give Compressions – Push hard and fast in the center of the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. Allow the chest to fully recoil between compressions. A good rhythm cue is the beat of “Stayin’ Alive,” which has about 100 beats per minute (American Red Cross, 2025). Don’t stop until professional help arrives or an AED is ready.
Please note that for infants, young children, or cases involving drowning or overdose, conventional CPR with rescue breaths is still recommended (American Red Cross, 2020).
How Chest Compressions Save Lives
The goal of CPR is to manually pump blood to the brain and other vital organs when the heart has stopped. By pressing down on the chest, you compress the heart between the sternum and spine, which forces blood into circulation (ECG Waves, n.d.). When you release, the chest recoils, and that allows the heart’s chambers to refill. That action also pulls some air into the lungs.
A collapsed person’s blood and lungs usually contain oxygen. In the first few minutes, it’s the lack of circulation and not the lack of oxygen that causes damage. As the Iredell Health System (2023) explains, “When a teen or adult suddenly collapses from cardiac arrest, they usually have enough oxygen to keep vital organs healthy for the first few minutes. Providing chest compressions that are hard and fast enough will help pump blood to the heart and brain” (para. 14). Interrupting compressions to give breaths too often can reduce the pressure needed to keep blood moving. While CPR provides only 20% to 30% of normal cardiac output, it can sustain life long enough for defibrillation. Continuous compressions delay organ damage and increase the odds that a shock will work (ECG Waves, n.d.). Multiple studies confirm that patients who receive immediate compressions fare as well or better than those given traditional CPR in the first critical minutes (Sayre et al., 2008).
Why Hands-Only CPR Matters – Woburn and Beyond
Nationwide, OHCA survival-to-discharge rates are typically less than 10% (Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation, n.d.). In cities with widespread CPR training, like Seattle, survival rates reach more than 50% due to high bystander engagement (Medic One Foundation, 2011). By contrast, a Massachusetts hospital recently reported a measly 3% survival rate for OHCA, which prompted renewed calls for reform (Perron, 2022). Dr. Joseph Sabato, an emergency physician in Worcester, Massachusetts, said, “I asked for the data on what our survival rate was and when they handed me the data, I almost fell out of my chair, it was so bad” (Perron, 2022, para. 3). To address the problem, Dr. Sabato urged legislation that mandates dispatcher training.
In Massachusetts, one of the few states that doesn’t require CPR training for high school graduation, community-based classes are even more essential (Boston City Council, 2024). If you’re looking to learn CPR near Boston, organizations like Wicked Safety Training and the Red Cross offer hands-only CPR classes in Woburn, Massachusetts, and surrounding areas. These short, practical workshops give people the confidence to act. About 70% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home, so the life you save could be that of a friend, relative, or neighbor (American Heart Association, n.d.-b).
Building a Nation of Life-Savers
From a medical perspective, the science behind hands-only CPR is solid. It prioritizes circulation and uses existing oxygen in the body to dramatically increase survival rates. From a community perspective, it lowers the barrier to lifesaving action. And as Dr. Andersen said, “It’s better to do something than nothing” (NewYork-Presbyterian, n.d.-b).
The knowledge is out there. The training is accessible. The power to save a life is literally in your hands. Sign up today for a hands-only CPR course in Woburn at Wicked Safety Training, and be prepared to save a life.
References
American Heart Association. (2024, November 11). 911 dispatcher assistance improved chances of receiving bystander CPR. American Heart Association Newsroom. https://newsroom.heart.org/news/911-dispatcher-assistance-improved-chances-of-receiving-bystander-cpr
American Heart Association. (n.d.-a). FAQs about AHA training. https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/faqs/course-faqs
American Heart Association. (n.d.-b). CPR facts and stats. https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/cpr-facts-and-stats
American Heart Association. (n.d.-c). CPR in schools legislation map. https://cpr.heart.org/en/training-programs/community-programs/cpr-in-schools/cpr-in-schools-legislation-map
American Heart Association. (n.d.-d). Hands-only CPR. https://cpr.heart.org/en/cpr-courses-and-kits/hands-only-cpr
American Heart Association. (n.d.-e). What is CPR? https://cpr.heart.org/en/resources/what-is-cpr
American Red Cross. (2025, March). CPR songs for chest compressions. https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/resources/articles/cpr-songs
American Red Cross. (2020). Guidelines highlights 2020. https://www.redcross.org/content/dam/redcross/training-services/sac/docs/American%20Red%20Cross%20Guidelines%20Highlights%202020.pdf?srsltid=AfmBOorRDFnF3QNvsV7e7ZLp9bo7WnKakewSKqCO83L_93bTFqHHCyqj
American Red Cross. (n.d.). Sudden cardiac arrest: How to respond. https://www.redcross.org/take-a-class/resources/articles/sudden-cardiac-arrest-how-to-respond?srsltid=AfmBOooNBW-CQYKkVFL9eASEqC1a0hZ4aFABSKz1ZeFtY_tWlX1_4tLz
Boston City Council. (2024, December 18). Council supports CPR training in high schools [Public notice]. Boston.gov. https://www.boston.gov/news/council-supports-cpr-training-high-schools
ECG Waves. (n.d.). Physiology of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). https://ecgwaves.com/topic/the-physiology-of-cardiopulmonary-resuscitation/
Iredell Health System. (2023, June 5). Save lives with hands‑only CPR. Iredell Health System News Releases. https://www.iredellhealth.org/news/releases/save-lives-with-hands-only-cpr/
Medic One Foundation. (2011, May 5). Cardiac survival rate in Seattle rises again: Witnessed cardiac arrest survival rose due to changes in CPR based on quality improvement results. EMS1. https://www.ems1.com/cardiac-care/articles/cardiac-survival-rate-in-seattle-rises-again-64EIXoSJvhpnDCmC/
MedlinePlus (2024, August 19). Cerebral hypoxia. U.S. National Library of Medicine. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/001435.htm
NewYork-Presbyterian. (n.d.-a). Hands-only CPR. https://www.nyp.org/cpr
NewYork‑Presbyterian. (n.d.-b). Save someone from cardiac arrest. Health Matters. https://healthmatters.nyp.org/save-someone-from-cardiac-arrest/
Perron, S. M. (2022, March 28). CPR legislation in Massachusetts seeks to improve cardiac arrest survival rates. https://www.wbjournal.com/article/cpr-legislation-in-massachusetts-seeks-to-improve-cardiac-arrest-survival-rates
Sayre, M. R., Berg, R. A., Cave, D. M., Page, R. L., Potts, J., & White, R. D. (2008). Hands-only (compression-only) cardiopulmonary resuscitation: A call to action for bystander response to adults who experience out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest. Circulation, 117(16), 2162–2167. https://doi.org/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.189380
Shilling, R. (2016, June 8). Dr. Ruchika Husa explains hands-only CPR. Ohio State Wexner Medical Center. https://wexnermedical.osu.edu/blog/hands-only-cpr
Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation. (n.d.). Latest statistics. About Sudden Cardiac Arrest. https://www.sca-aware.org/about-sudden-cardiac-arrest/latest-statistics
