Comparison of the Quality of CPR by Lay Rescuers With and Without Feedback Devices (frequenz)

Comparison of the Quality of CPR by Lay Rescuers With and Without Telephone Instructions by a Simulated Rescue Coordination Center

Even for paramedics and emergency physicians, the resuscitation of patients with cardiac arrest remains a challenge. Previous studies have shown that the cardiac output varies widely even among professional helpers. This is especially due to some very different mean frequencies of cardiac compression wich vary from 60 to 160/min for paramedics. Aim of this study is to investigate whether the use of feedback-devices during cardiac-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can lead to an improvement of the cardiac output and may improve survival. For this, we examine the impact of different feedback-methods on the frequence-variety on manikin by lay rescuers. Overall, we compare three different devices for feedback during CPR. The subjects for this study are lay rescuers who perform a 5 minute chest-compression-only CPR.

The main goal of the study is the average achieved cardiac output. Data acquisition is carried out on a resuscitation-manikin which can measure compression-rate (CR) and compression-depth (CD). The data are recorded by a computer during the CPR. To calculate the cardiac output, we multiply the average CR [1/min] with the average CD [mm] during the 5 min manikin-resuscitation. The thus obtained average cardiac-output (CO = CR x CD), measured in [mm/min], will be compared in each group.

Second objective of the study is the variation of the compression-rate and the compression-depth during the resuscitation. We compare the average compression-rate and compression-depth of the first 30 compressions and the last 30 compression of every participant. As a result, the average standard deviation in each group will be calculated. Afterward, the groups will be compared using the mean deviation of every group. The mean deviation will be measured in +/-[mm] for compression-depth and +/-[1/min] for compression rate.

Inclusion Criteria: lay rescuers >18 years <60 years Exclusion Criteria: professional rescuers pregnancy