NHLBI IN THE PRESS

Black and Hispanic adults less likely to receive lifesaving cardiac support

A man receives CPR after collapsing on the street.

When the heart suddenly stops beating, which is the case with cardiac arrest, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be used as a lifesaving measure to bridge support before emergency responders arrive.

Following a study of
110,054 people who had sudden cardiac arrest outside of a hospital, researchers found that Black and Hispanic adults were less likely than white adults to receive CPR at home or in public. Examples could have included receiving CPR from family members, bystanders, or neighbors. Based on this review, about three-fourths of cardiac arrests occurred at home. The remaining incidents occurred in public locations.

To address these disparities, researchers recommend a variety of public health measures to expand access to and personalize CPR training. The study was partially supported by NHLBI and published in the New England Journal of Medicine
.