A Major Design Flaw in CPR Manikins Could Lead to Fatal Consequences: ScienceAlert

If someone’s heart suddenly stops beating, just minutes to live. Performing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) can increase their chances of survival. CPR ensures that blood continues to pump, providing oxygen to the brain and vital organs until specialist treatment arrives.

However, research shows that bystanders are less likely to intervene to perform CPR when that person is a woman. A. latest Australian research It analyzed 4,491 cardiac arrests from 2017-19 and found bystanders were more likely to perform CPR on men (74%) than women (65%).

Could this be partly because CPR training dummies (known as mannequins) don’t have breasts? Ours new research He looked at mannequins available around the world to train people in performing CPR and found that 95% were flat-chested.

Anatomically, breasts do not change CPR technique. But they can influence whether people will try it, and hesitating at these critical moments can mean the difference between life and death.

Heart health disparities

Cardiovascular diseases, including heart disease, stroke and cardiac arrest, leading cause of death for women all over the world.

But if there is a woman cardiac arrest outside the hospital (meaning your heart has stopped pumping blood properly), 10% less likely It is more likely than a man to receive CPR. women too less likely May survive CPR and is more likely to suffer brain damage following cardiac arrest.

These are just a few of the many unequal health outcomes that women, along with transgender and non-binary people, experience. Compared to men, symptoms They are more likely to be dismissed or misdiagnosed, or they may take longer to receive a diagnosis.

Reluctance of the audience

There is also increasing evidence women less likely to receive CPR compared to men.

This may be due in part to concerns by those around them that they will be blamed. sexual harassmentthey are worried may cause damage (in some cases based on the perception that women are more “fragile”) and discomfort with touching a woman’s breast.

People around you may also experience problems to recognise A woman has a heart attack.

Even in scenario simulations, researchers found that interveners were less likely to remove a woman’s clothes. prepare for resuscitationcompared to men. And women less likely to get CPR or defibrillation (electrical charge to restart the heart) – even if the training is an online game that doesn’t require touching anyone.

There is evidence of how people behave in resuscitation training scenarios reflects what they do in real emergencies. This means it is vital to educate people across gender and body type to recognize cardiac arrest and be prepared to intervene.

Skewed to men’s sizes

Most CPR training resources Feature male sizes or no gender. If the corpses don’t have breasts, that means the male is the default.

For example 2022 to work A look at CPR training in North, Central and South America found that most available mannequins were white (88%), male (94%) and underweight (99%).

These studies mirror what we have seen in our own work training other healthcare practitioners to perform CPR. We noticed that all mannequins available for training were flat-chested. One of us (Rebecca) had trouble finding a training dummy with breasts.

A single mannequin with breasts

Ours new research He researched what CPR mannequins were available and how diverse they were. We have identified 20 CPR mannequins in the global market in 2023. Mannequins are usually a torso with a head and no arms.

Five of the 20 present (25%) were sold as “females”, but only one of them had breasts. This means that 95% of current CPR training mannequins are flat-chested.

We also looked at other characteristics of diversity, such as skin tone and larger sizes. We found that 65% had multiple skin tones, but only one was a larger size. More research is needed on how these considerations affect bystanders when giving CPR.

Breasts do not change CPR technique

CPR technique doesn’t change when someone has breasts. Obstacles are cultural. Even if you feel uncomfortable, starting CPR as soon as possible can save lives.

Signs that someone may need CPR This includes not breathing properly, or not breathing at all, or not responding to you.

To actualize effective CPRyou should:

• place the palm of your hand in the middle of their breasts
• Place your other hand on top of your first hand and interlock your fingers (keep your arms straight).
• Press firmly to a depth of approximately 5cm before releasing
• push your chest at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute (you can) sing a song) in your head to help you keep time!)

How about a defibrillator?

You don’t need to take off someone’s bra to perform CPR. But you may need it in the following situations: defibrillator It is necessary.

A. defibrillator It is a device that applies an electrical charge to restore heartbeat. An underwire bra can cause minor burns to the skin when the debrillator pads apply an electrical charge. However, if you cannot remove the bra, do not let it delay care.

What should change?

Our research highlights the need for a variety of CPR training mannequins with different body sizes as well as breasts.

Educational resources need to better prepare people to respond to people with breastfeeding and perform CPR. we also need more education about women’s risk of developing and dying from heart-related diseases.

Jessica Stokes-ParishAssistant Professor of Medicine, Bond University And Rebecca A. SzaboHonorary Senior Lecturer in Intensive Care and Obstetrics, Gynecology and Newborn Health, University of Melbourne

This article is republished from: Speech It is under Creative Commons license. Read original article.