Two bystanders better than one when cardiac arrest strikes in public

When it comes to cardiac arrest in a public place, two good Samaritans are better than one, according to a new report.

Japanese researchers from the  Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medicine team found that the odds of survival were better when more than one bystander comes to the rescue — even if they were not fully trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), Reuters reported. 

The study, which reviewed more than 5,000 cases of adults suffering cardiac arrest in public, out of a hospital, found that the odds of survival went up two-fold higher when more than one person tried to help, according to the Japan Daily Press.

When only one person came to the help, 3 percent of victims were still alive one year later, compared with 4 percent with two responders and 6 percent with three or more. 

The study also showed that hands-only CPR — which just involves chest compressions and no mouth-to-mouth breathing — could help adult victims until paramedics arrive.

"This study confirms the importance of bystanders responding to cardiac arrest, and the importance of early CPR," Dr. Michael Sayre, associate professor of emergency medicine at Ohio State University in Columbus and a spokesman for the the American Heart Association (AHA) told Reuters.

However, the results of the study — published in the journal Resuscitation — only applied to adults, the report said.

And there was no survival advantage to having multiple rescuers for cardiac arrests suffered at home, which is where most took place.

Hideo Inaba and a team from the Kanazawa University team said:  

"An increased number of rescuers improves the outcomes of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.

"However, this beneficial effect is absent in out-of-hospital cardiac arrests that occur at home."

According to Reuters, the AHA and other groups said that everyone should learn CPR.

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