Viral Video Of IAS Officer Giving CPR: Doctors Want You to Know It's Incorrect

Doctors feel that this video going viral might do more harm than good – as CPR is administered in an incorrect way.

Doctors told FIT that while officer's intentions were earnest, the video going viral might do more harm than good.

(Photo: The Quint/Kamran Akhtar)

Video Editor: Prashant Chauhan

After a viral video claimed that an IAS officer in Chandigarh saved the life of a person by performing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or CPR on him, doctors have raised concerns about the act being performed incorrectly.

The video shows Chandigarh Health Secretary Yashpal Garg pumping the chest of a person who is sitting on a chair.

There is no clarity on what happened to the person, or whether he was conscious. The incident has been viewed almost 6,50,000 times, since it was posted on Wednesday, 18 January.

Doctors told FIT that while officer's intentions were earnest, the video going viral might do more harm than good.

Why Was CPR Method Used In The Video Incorrect?

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation or CPR is a technique used to revive someone who has stopped breathing due to a heart attack, drowning, or any other such emergency.

Dr Prashant Pawar, Consultant, Cardiology, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, explains that there were several flaws in the way the IAS officer in the video was performing CPR.

• Firstly, it's extremely important to make the patient lie down flat on the ground.

• Secondly, the central pulse, which is the neck pulse or carotid, should be palpated.

• Third, there shouldn't be a mob surrounding the patient.

"Chest compression is given by placing hands on the patient’s chest, mid-sternum at the nipple line. The rate should be 100 beats per minute and 30 compressions make one cycle. After that, 2 breaths should be delivered," he said.

How Should CPR Actually Be Performed

Dr Nikhil Modi, Senior Consultant, Respiratory Medicine, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Apollo Hospitals, Indraprastha explains:

• If a person has collapsed or is unconscious and not breathing, the first thing to do is make them lie on a flat surface, like on a table or on the floor.

• Place both your hands on the centre of the patient's chest and compress properly so that adequate movement is maintained.

In response to the viral video, Dr Ashwin Rajenesh, Consultant Physician, Internal Medicine, Chief of Emergency, and Acute Care Medicine, advised that for laypersons, only compression might suffice to revive the person.

Here are the important points he shared in the Twitter thread:

• Do not attempt to raise or support the patient's head. Instead raise the patient's feet up.

• Check for responsiveness to a loud verbal or tactile call. If the patient is unresponsive, do not attempt to force fluids down their mouth.

• Call for help and perform CPR till it arrives.

(Photo: Twitter Screengrab)

What Will Happen If CPR is Not Performed Properly?

According to a study, titled Complications of Bystander Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation for Unconscious Patients Without Cardiopulmonary Arrest, these complications might surface if CPR is performed incorrectly:

• Rib fractures

• Lung injuries which might include pneumothorax and lung contusion

• Abdominal organ injuries such as hepatic, splenic, or gastric injuries

• Chest pain

• Abdominal pain

(Photo: Twitter Screengrab)

FIT has reached out to the IAS officer to understand what exactly happened to the person in distress. The copy will be updated with further details.