Skipping 'mouth-to-mouth' enough for saving lives

You can skip the mouth-to-mouth breathing and just press on the chest to save a life. In a major change, the American Heart Association said on Monday that hands-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation - rapid, deep presses on the victim's chest until help arrives - works just as well as standard CPR for sudden cardiac arrest in adults.

Experts hope bystanders will now be more willing to jump in and help if they see someone suddenly collapse. Hands-only CPR is simpler and easier to remember and removes a big barrier for people skittish about the mouth-to-mouth breathing.

Hands-only CPR calls for uninterrupted chest presses - 100 a minute - until paramedics take over or an automated external defibrillator is available to restore a normal heart rhythm.