CPR Can Do More Harm Than Good Without a Defibrillator

Several factors influence the outcome of CPR after a heart attack, including your age, chronic disease and the reason your heart stopped. Consider this list of factors that influence heart health.

STORY AT-A-GLANCE

• CPR classes were introduced to the public in 1972; after decades of data, a 2010 study showed the overall survival rate of CPR outside the hospital was 7.6% in a cohort of 142,720 people. Another study demonstrated those with underlying chronic disease generally had worse outcomes than those without chronic disease

• A significant factor t…