‘Tongue swallowing prevention maneuvers’ delay CPR, might contribute to mind harm or loss of life for collapsed athletes

Regardless of widespread public well being efforts, the damaging fable of “prevention of tongue-swallowing” continues to persist throughout cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). New analysis within the Canadian Journal of Cardiology exposes the mainstream and social media’s detrimental function in perpetuating this false impression, which frequently results in vital delays in correct CPR for collapsed athletes.

Concern about “tongue-swallowing” leads resuscitators to waste worthwhile time making an attempt to take away the tongue from the airway path, quite than instantly initiating important CPR procedures. The findings from this evaluation underscore an pressing want for international public well being campaigns to appropriate CPR myths and emphasize the significance of fast chest compressions. The examine systematically analyzed 45 circumstances of athletes collapsing throughout sports activities occasions (1990–2024) that have been caught on video or documented on-line, specializing in preliminary resuscitation actions and corresponding media protection.

Commenting on the principle findings of the evaluation, Dana Viskin, MD—the lead investigator of the article titled “The Fantasy of “Tongue Swallowing’ Delays Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation of Athletes With Cardiac Arrest, But It Is Usually Perpetuated by the Media,”—says, “Our evaluation confirmed that in 84% of circumstances the place the preliminary response was seen, inappropriate maneuvers to ‘stop tongue-swallowing’ have been carried out earlier than correct CPR. These incorrect actions have been considerably related to poor outcomes: 67% of these receiving such maneuvers died or had extreme mind harm, in comparison with 0% when CPR was the primary response.”

Dr. Viskin is from the Division of Cardiology, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Heart and Faculty of Drugs, Tel Aviv College.

Media evaluation revealed that just about half (48%) of high-exposure information articles explicitly used the time period “tongue-swallowing,” with most praising the lay responder for his or her actions. In articles describing sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) circumstances, 77% referenced “tongue-swallowing” with out acknowledging its inappropriateness as a response to SCA, but solely 23% explicitly criticized the intervention.

“On condition that some SCA sufferers, significantly younger males with shockable arrest rhythms, might exhibit seizure-like exercise at onset—a sample incessantly noticed in sports-related SCA—it’s comprehensible how this fable might have carried into the general public response to athletic SCA, regardless of the absence of scientific guideline assist for such an intervention,” factors out Nicholas Grubic, MSc, the writer of the accompanying editorial, titled “Countering Misinformation within the Response to Sudden Cardiac Arrest in Athletes.” Grubic is from the Division of Epidemiology, Dalla Lana Faculty of Public Well being, College of Toronto.

“Moreover, indicators similar to cyanosis and agonal respirations could be mistaken for choking, usually prompting bystanders to prioritize airway inspection over initiating CPR. Current qualitative analysis has confirmed that such misinterpretations can delay and even interrupt life-saving interventions. Though selling CPR and automatic exterior defibrillator (AED) data stays a cornerstone of SCA schooling, educating the general public to acknowledge the early indicators of an arrest is equally vital, as each second with out motion drastically reduces the possibility of survival.”

This analysis is particularly essential now, as public CPR schooling turns into more and more very important with widespread media publicity to cardiac arrests in sports activities.

“Our examine highlights the damaging and protracted false impression of ‘tongue-swallowing prevention,’ which might delay the initiation of life-saving chest compressions. These delays might value lives, and but the media usually reward such misguided actions as heroic. We urgently must re-educate the general public and the media and reframe the narrative round CPR, particularly in sports activities,” emphasizes Dr. Viskin.

Mr. Grubic provides in conclusion, “Coordinated, evidence-informed communication methods are important to counter misinformation and assist public understanding, significantly in high-stakes conditions such because the response to SCA in athletes. Our public capability to save lots of lives shouldn’t be impeded by misinformed voices—now could be the time for the educational, well being care, and media sectors to hitch forces and construct a more healthy data surroundings for all.

“Responding to SCA is a staff sport that begins with correct schooling to make sure that everybody is able to step in, keep targeted, and act. Though the prize is just not a trophy, it’s one thing way more worthwhile.”