The document calls for bystanders to provide hands-only CPR to adults experiencing out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. It recommends that bystanders push hard and fast in the center of the chest with minimal interruptions until emergency services arrive. Hands-only CPR eliminates rescue breaths and simplifies the process to improve the low rates of bystander CPR. While all cardiac arrest victims benefit from compressions, some may require additional interventions taught in a conventional CPR course.

1. Hands-Only (Compression-Only) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation: A Call to Action for Bystander Response to Adults Who Experience Out-of-Hospital Sudden Cardiac Arrest A Science Advisory for the Public From the American Heart Association Emergency Cardiovascular Care Committee Circulation. 2008;117:2162-2167

9. CPR in early part of the 20th century 2005 CPR guidelines