A Twist on Heart "Beat"

CNN Health reported last week on a woman who saved her husband's life by using the rhythm and pacing of the Bee Gees 1977 classic "Staying Alive" as a metronome for performing CPR. With no prior CPR training, she kept the song in her head and performed chest compressions for 15 minutes until the paramedics arrived.

Statistics show that 95% of people who suffer cardiac arrest die before reaching the hospital.
Rapid chest compressions, however, can make a difference, as the woman learned from the American Heart Association's (AHA) public service announcement she heard when she called 911 that day.
The AHA's Hands-Only CPR campaign is designed to raise awareness that chest compressions can save lives. The compressions, however, need to be at a certain speed, faster than many people may realize.

As always, being informed is critical and can mean the difference between life and death. For more information about Hands-On CPR, check the Hands-Only CPR FAQs.

The following Science Buddies' science fair project ideas help students gain a better understanding of the heart and its rhythms:

• A Day in the Life of Your Heart (Science Buddies' difficulty level: 2-3)
• Heart Health: How Does Heart Rate Change with Exercise? (Science Buddies' difficulty level: 5)
• Heart Rate Recovery Times (Science Buddies' difficulty level: 6)