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2008-10-17 08:58:40
Thu Oct 16, 3:27 pm ET
The music group The Bee Gees (L-R) Robin, Barry and Maurice Gibb are pictured
in Reuters The music group The Bee Gees (L-R) Robin, Barry and Maurice Gibb
are pictured in this undated publicity
WASHINGTON (Reuters) U.S. doctors have found the Bee Gees 1977 disco anthem
"Stayin' Alive" provides an ideal beat to follow while performing chest
compressions as part of CPR on a heart attack victim.
The American Heart Association calls for chest compressions to be given at a
rate of 100 per minute in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). "Stayin' Alive"
almost perfectly matches that, with 103 beats per minute.
CPR is a lifesaving technique involving chest compressions alone or with
mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing. It is used in emergencies such as cardiac
arrest in which a person's breathing or heartbeat has stopped.
CPR can triple survival rates, but some people are reluctant to do it in part
because they are unsure about the proper rhythm for chest compressions. But
research has shown many people do chest compressions too slowly during CPR.
In a small study headed by Dr. David Matlock of the University of Illinois
College of Medicine at Peoria, listening to "Stayin' Alive" helped 15 doctors
and medical students to perform chest compressions on dummies at the proper
speed.
Five weeks after practicing with the music playing, they were asked to perform
CPR again on dummies by keeping the song in their minds, and again they kept up
a good pace.
"The theme 'Stayin' Alive' is very appropriate for the situation," Matlock said
in a telephone interview on Thursday. "Everybody's heard it at some point in
their life. People know the song and can keep it in their head."
The findings will be presented this month at a meeting of the American College
of Emergency Physicians in Chicago.