Kiss of Life Now Only Metaphorical

by Liz Colville

Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is not that great at bringing people back to life, according to new guidelines released today in the US and Canada. CPR experts say that “critical seconds are lost” when people move between mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions, and many argue that mouth-to-mouth should be abandoned altogether. Instead, the new guidelines say, aim to perform at least 100 chest compressions per minute, between the nipples, pressing down approximately 2 inches each time (1.5 inches on children). One expert says it helps if you pump to the beat of the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” (103 BPM).