Doctor explains grim reality of how CPR actually works

When emergencies strike and someone's life hangs in the balance, one expert has shared the sobering truth about CPR.

According to the Resuscitation Council UK, NHS Ambulance Services attempt resuscitation on approximately 30,000 people annually.

Meanwhile, the annual incidence of 'out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) is roughly 55 per 100,000 people.'

In an episode of Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett, Doctor Mike debunks common misconceptions about emergency care and explains what CPR actually does for the patient.

"The purpose of CPR is if you find someone who's unconscious, not breathing, is pulseless, it means their heart stopped beating," YouTube's '#1 doctor' said. "That means clinically, they're dead. So, anything you do here can only potentially help."

During 'proper CPR,' you're compressing the chest to squeeze the heart, circulating blood that 'still contains residual oxygen to deliver it to vital organs.'

However, the point of CPR is about 'buying someone time' rather than saving their life, Dr. Mike noted.

"CPR is to allow time for first responders to arrive, to then give advanced cardiac life support," he said. "That's why the first step of doing CPR has nothing to do with the person and has everything to do with calling for help."

The health expert then stresses you shouldn't do anything that 'distracts from chest compressions' as the sooner you start them, the 'better the outcome.'

Later on in the interview, he warned that shouting for 'someone' to call 911 almost never works.

"Everyone assumes the other person calls [so] no one calls," he highlighted, adding that this scenario has been documented in real cases. Instead, you should point to a specific person and tell them directly to call 999, then begin CPR immediately.

For the CPR technique itself, Dr. Mike says to place one hand over the other and press between the chest muscles.

NHS ambulances attempt resuscitation on around 30,000 people annually. (Kmatta/Getty)

You need to push hard and fast -about two inches deep - which is quite substantial. Even if you're worried about breaking a rib, the doctor says you can't do further damage because the person is already 'clinically dead.'

The compressions should use your 'full body' weight rather than just arm strength, as relying on triceps alone isn't sustainable and you won't last the full duration.

Viewers in the comments section of Reddit have been sharing their own experiences with CPR.

"My wife lost pulse a few years ago. I had to do CPR for 15 minutes. The dispatcher counted for me, and I can still remember them counting. I remember how exhausted, and I tired I was afterward. I completely broke down of course once they arrived, but if you have the training I promise you can save someone else’s life. Don’t doubt yourself," the first user wrote.

"Redundant or not, this is hands down the most helpful tiktok video I have seen in my life to date," another user admitted.

"As someone who has performed CPR at least 100 times over the last 10 years, I now believe all adults (especially parents) should be required to take a CPR training course. This information is so valuable it should be common sense to everyone!" a third user commented.

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