CPR is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating. Immediate CPR can double or triple the chances of survival after cardiac arrest.
The AHA is a worldwide leader in first aid, CPR, and AED training – educating more than 22 million people globally in CPR each year.
Click on a graphic below to view the steps of Hands-Only CPR.
CPR Facts & Statistics
- In one year alone, 475,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest.
- The 2017 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics state that among the 356,000 Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrests that occurred, 45.7% (or 46%) received bystander CPR.
- More than 350,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital each year.
- According to 2014 data, nearly 45 percent of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest victims survived when bystander CPR was administered.
Out-of-hospital Chain of Survival
A strong Chain of Survival can improve the chances of survival and recovery for victims of cardiac arrest. There are 6 links in the adult out-of-hospital Chain of Survival.
