Some wrote in about coughing may save your life in a heart attach. I have worked as an Advanced Life Support Ambulance Officer in Australia for 22 years, and have not been able to confirm this theory.
I have cut and pasted an article from a Large First Aid Training Authority here in Australia. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ We have received a number of enquiries from people who have been informed about "cough CPR" and "How to survive a heart attack when alone". Advice has been put on the Internet that someone who thinks he or she is suffering a heart attack should repeatedly cough and go at once to a hospital, by car if necessary. This advice is based (very loosely) on published case reports of people being able to maintain some sort of cardiac output during cardiac arrest by vigorous coughing - so-called "cough CPR". The scenario has usually been of a patient developing ventricular fibrillation whilst being monitored, often whilst undergoing cardiac catheterisation. The patient has been encouraged to cough and a measurable circulation has been recorded. This anecdotal evidence supports the theory that chest compressions during CPR are successful because they increase intrathoracic pressure and result in a flow of blood. The collapsed veins and patent arteries at the thoracic inlet result in this flow being in a forward direction. Coughing produces the same effect. We know of no evidence that, even if a lone patient knew that cardiac arrest had occurred, he or she would be able to maintain sufficient circulation to allow activity, let alone driving to the hospital Regards Peter Mckie Managing Director PARASOL EMT Pty Limited Unit 17, Molonglo Mall Fyshwick ACT 2609 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Phil Matheson [email protected] VH-PKR ( reserved) 61 3 58833588 See our VW Engines and Home built web page at http://www.vw-engines.com/ www.homebuilt-aviation.com/
