The Heart of the Matter

The American Heart Association has issued new guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, making it easier to learn, the Association says. “We recognize that it is very difficult for the layperson to assess whether a patient has a pulse within the first few seconds,” says AHA president Dr. Rose Marie Robertson. Therefore, people learning CPR will now be taught to start chest compressions immediately, rather than check for a pulse first to ensure the victim's heart has stopped. (AP) ...Which will either lead to a marked increase in save rates, or a marked increase in the statement, “Get your hands off me, pervert!”