About 3,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) occur in Singapore every year. With every minute that nothing is done to resuscitate the victim, chances of survival drop by 7 to 10%. Therefore, it is important for bystanders to be equipped with the right mindset and techniques so as to effectively administering CPR+AED to prevent death in the event of cardiac arrest.
How does administering CPR and AED differ for women as compared to men?
Administering CPR does not differ between men and women, and the steps to take are the same. Compressions administered should be performed the same way for both genders.
Place one of your hands on the lower half of the breastbone and the heel of the other on top of the first hand. Interlace your fingers and lift your palm off the breast to avoid massaging the breasts. Compress at a depth of 4-6cm, 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
To use the AED, cut along the side of the casualty’s shirt, pull up her bra to neck level. Place one electrode pad on the victim’s upper right chest (anterior) under the collarbone, and the other electrode pad on the lower left side (lateral) under the victim’s left breast. Cover her up with her shirt as soon as the AED pads are placed to protect her modesty.
If there are other people around, we can also get them to form a human shield, facing outwards, to block the view of passers-by.
Is the underwire of the bra safe for AED?
So far, there is no local research to show that the underwire of a bra will create an electric short circuit or re-route the electric current. An exposed underwire bra may cause a localised burn on the casualty’s skin, but this is a rare scenario as there is usually fabric around the underwire. During an emergency, the priority should be to provide quality chest compressions and operate the AED in a safe environment (ensure free of water, flammable materials and metallic surfaces).