"Push Hard and Fast" Voice Prompt from AED Can Improve Quality of Chest Compression Performed by Untrained Lay People

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: We conducted this study in order to evaluate the question of whether a simple voice prompt, "push hard and fast", could improve the quality of chest compression performed by lay people. METHODS: Non-medical college students with no experience of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) education participated in this study. They were randomly divided into two groups-metronome prompt automated external defibrillator (AED) (M) group and metronome with intermittent "push hard and fast" voice prompt AED (V) group and performed two cycles of chest compression-only CPR. "Push hard and fast" voice was prompted every 10 seconds. The rate of metronome was fixed to 100/min in two groups. We measured compression depth, compression rate, and total compression frequency using ResusciAnne(R)SkillReporter(TM) (Laerdal, Korea). RESULTS: A total of 208 volunteers were enrolled. There were 120 (57.7%) females, and mean age was 21+/-2 years old. The compression depth was deeper in the V group (40.0+/-12 mm) than in the M group (35.9+/-13 mm) (p=0.02). The mean rate of chest compression was faster in the V group (98+/-20 cpm) than in the M group (88+/-31 cpm) (p=0.07) (*cpm compressions per minute). Total frequency of chest compression during 2-cycle CPR was also higher in the V group (392+/-80) than in the M group (341+/-117) (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: A simple voice prompt, "push hard and fast", can improve the quality of chest compression performed by untrained lay people.