#cough cpr

[is-the-post-reliable]

Shoutout to @cough-cpr-is-fake

As many of you may be aware, there's a misinformation post about 'cough cpr' that gets spread around and reposted a lot. It's a particularly dangerous bit of misinfo, as it could actually kill people who attempt it.

I want to give thanks to @cough-cpr-is-fake for notifying people about this post and combatting this misinformation! If you notice a new version of this post going around, please send it to this blog!

[cough-cpr-is-fake]

“Cough CPR” is misinformation

What is “cough CPR”?

“Cough CPR” is a myth which claims that rhythmic coughing can reduce the impact of a heart attack. It has been circulating for over two decades via email and on social media platforms (Wikipedia, 2023).

Why doesn’t it work?

A heart attack happens when the blood flow to the heart is restricted due to blockage. Cardiac arrest is when your heart stops pumping completely (British Heart Foundation, n.d.).

These definitions alone should demonstrate the problem with “cough CPR”. If you have a heart attack, your heart is still pumping, so you do not need CPR. If you experience cardiac arrest, you will fall unconscious within seconds (Resuscitation Council UK, 2021) and therefore won’t be able to perform “cough CPR”.

In many cases, “cough CPR” could even worsen the problem or prove fatal if coughing is undertaken to the wrong rhythm (Snopes, 2003).

Is “cough CPR” ever useful?

Coughing creates pressure that forces blood to flow to the brain (Cleveland Clinic, 2020).

It may therefore be possible for someone experiencing sudden arrhythmia to maintain consciousness for a few seconds by coughing. However, the patient would already need to be under constant monitoring for the arrhythmia to be detected. It should also only be done at the instruction of a doctor, as a medical professional will still be needed to treat the abnormal heart rhythm (American Heart Association, 2023).

Cases where “cough CPR” has been useful have all been isolated incidents performed in this kind of clinical setting (see Snopes, 2003; UChicago Medicine, 2019; American Heart Association, 2023).

Reference list

American Heart Association. (2023) Cough CPR. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204210831/https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cardiac-arrest/emergency-treatment-of-cardiac-arrest/cough-cpr (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

British Heart Foundation. (n.d.) Could something called ‘cough CPR’ save my life? Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204210457/https://www.bhf.org.uk/informationsupport/heart-matters-magazine/medical/ask-the-experts/cough-cpr (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

Cleveland Clinic. (2020) The dangerous truth about cough CPR. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204205549/https://health.clevelandclinic.org/can-you-cough-away-a-heart-attack (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

Resuscitation Council UK. (2021). Resuscitation Council UK’s statement on cough CPR. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204211021/https://www.resus.org.uk/about-us/news-and-events/resuscitation-council-uks-statement-cough-cpr (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

Snopes. (2003). How to survive a heart attack when alone. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204214909/https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/cough-cpr/ (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

UChicago Medicine. (2019) Can coughing stop a heart attack? Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204213936/https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/heart-and-vascular-articles/can-coughing-stop-a-heart-attack (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

Wikipedia. (2023) Cough CPR. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20231204211113/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cough_CPR (Accessed: 4 December 2023).

[pedanther]

I see the "How to Survive a Heart Attack Alone by Coughing" post is going around again, so here's a reminder that "cough cpr" is not recommended by any reputable authority.

[paulgadzikowski]

Thanks for the info about the heart attack coughing message. I removed my reblog of it.

You're welcome. I happen to have seen the subject knocking around and getting debunked before.

[curewhimsy]

Super quick heads up, cough CPR doesn't reliably work and can be dangerous!! https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/cardiac-arrest/emergency-treatment-of-cardiac-arrest/cough-cpr https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/forefront/heart-and-vascular-articles/can-coughing-stop-a-heart-attack

Thanks for this!

[aceofwhump]

Doctor Who 3x01 "Smith and Jones"

[amielot]

Assisted Respiration

Been wanting to clean up some January sketches . Dreamling week enabled me -> the ocean prompt

That siren au by @moorishflower

[whumpypepsigal]

Fire Country s01e09: “Please have a pulse.”

+bonus:

[whumpetywhump]

Till The End Of The Moon - Ep. 9

[1whump-dump1]

Hudson & Rex - Season 1, Episode 4.

[how-much-for-a-whump]

Kudüs Fatihi Selahaddin Eyyubi 2. Bölüm

[is-the-post-reliable]

does this cough cpr thing check out? https://www.tumblr.com/callalilycas/730036684692013058

hi, I've fact checked this claim before but it keeps getting reposted! I think I will reblog this one with my previous fact check copied over, because it looks like this one is currently spreading and it's a particularly dangerous bit of misinformation. I tag all stuff about this claim with 'cough cpr', in case you would like to see previous iterations

[whumpygifs]

[whumpookies]

Arka sokaklar bölüm 571

[muffant]

Hello! Unfortunately, the “cough CPR” post you recently reblogged is misinformation. Don’t worry, it’s an easy mistake to make! For more information, please see this post: https://www.tumblr.com/cough-cpr-is-fake/735813872318103552. Hope this helps, and have a lovely day! <3

Thank you very much for this correction! I’ll take my reblog down

[mrs-mikko-rantanen]

“MacClyde, it’s bad enough you made me do CPR on you in the first place, but did you really have to wait that long before you came back?”