TV/film ‘thump’ not effective alternative to CPR: Study

A review by University of Warwick researchers has reaffirmed that “thump” — a technique often shown in dramatic resuscitation scenes on TV shows and in movies — is not an effective alternative to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

In ‘thump,’ a rescuer makes a firm strike to a patient in cardiac arrest in the lower half of the sternum.

The new Warwick Medical School study is the first comprehensive systematic examination of three CPR alternatives, namely percussion pacing, cough CPR as well as precordial thump. None of the three alternatives was found to have any benefits in saving lives. All three have also fallen out of routine practice.

In percussion pacing, a less forceful, repetitive and rhythmical impact is made to the left sternal edge. In cough CPR, which is a misnomer because it does not involve CPR, an individual coughs forcefully if they feel they are about to collapse.

The British study reinforces CPR as the “gold standard” technique for attempting to resuscitate someone in cardiac arrest.

“People need to continue doing the basics: if someone collapses you should call 999, start CPR, and if someone else is present they should find a defibrillator,” said the study lead author Dr. Christopher Smith, a clinical lecturer at Warwick Medical School and an emergency medicine doctor. “Those who have chest pains and are unwell need to seek medical advice without delay. Early intervention by members of the public has the biggest impact on survival.”

He added: “The effectiveness of these techniques have been considered in international resuscitation guidelines, but this is the first time they have been comprehensively studied in a systematic review. They are not established practices but were at one time advocated and have since fallen out of favour. Some of these techniques are still being used around the world and with this research can confidently say they are of no benefit to patients.”

In the study, data from 23 previously published researches that studied the effectiveness of the three techniques was analyzed.