WKU News

At some point in our lives, we've been taught how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). You know, attempt to wake the victim and alternate between rescue breathing and chest compressions - 30 compressions at a rate of 100/minute. But how do we know how fast a 100/minute rate is?

Alson S. Inaba, MD is a pediatric emergency physician at Kapiolani Medical Center for Women and Children in Honolulu. According to a story printed in JEMS Magazine, Dr. Inaba has identified a way to keep perfect time while doing CPR on a victim of cardiac arrest.

As it turns out we can use music to guide us, specifically Bee Gee's classic Stayin' Alive.This song has a beat that's exactly 100 beats per minute - the same rate the American Heart Association recommends for chest compressions during CPR.

"Stayin' alive,
Stayin' alive,
Ha...ah...ah...ah
(this part is exactly 100 beats per minute)
Stayin' a-li-ive"

This tip helps rescuers keep the proper rate while doing CPR. Going too slow doesn't generate enough blood flow, and going too fast doesn't allow the heart to fill properly between compressions. Humming along with the Bee Gees is one way to stay on track.

For those of you less optimistic folks, Queen's classic, Another One Bites the Dust, also has the proper beat.