Basic life support training for the adult lay population. A systematic review

Abstract

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training is an influential method for improving the perception of resuscitation maneuvers, user willingness to carry it out, and also coordination of the people performing it. The main objective of the present systematic review is to evaluate the effects of basic CPR training program and Semi-Automatic External Defibrillation (AED) use on acquiring and retaining practical skills of lay adults. The included researches involved adult participants of 18 years old and over without previous CPR official training. In addition, the studies containing any training program, without a specified training method of CPR and AED use, were considered. A qualitative analysis was conducted to determine the most efficient B-CPR and AED use training program for lay adults regarding to acquisition and retention of practical skills. All randomized experimental trials followed a sequence of assigning participants to different categories. This corresponds to distinct interventions which in turn involved various CPR and AED training types or different durations of training between the groups. Overall, a specific training methodology has not been identified for approaching a clear demonstration with more effective and low-cost results. However, it seems that a training program based on simplified and short-term CPR combined with instructor-student feedback, videos, feedback devices, and simulations could cause reduction of the barriers for the lay population to help the OHCA patients and perform CPR.