The University of Arizona Sarver Heart Center has developed a new CPR method that could double the survival rate of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in Tucson.

The new form of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, called "continuous chest compression CPR," requires only chest compressions, eliminating the need for mouth-to-mouth breathing.

According to Dr. Gordon Ewy, director of the Sarver Heart Center and chief of cardiology at the UA College of Medicine, when chest compressions are given in standard CPR, oxygenated blood is moved through the body and delivered to the organs.

But Ewy says stopping compressions to administer breaths then slows down blood circulation, preventing oxygen from reaching organs in need.

Ewy believes that traditional CPR is less effective than CCC-CPR because research done by the center has shown that giving breaths slows down the process of circulating blood.

An unwillingness to perform mouth-to-mouth breaths on strangers, as well as people forgetting important steps when performing CPR, has also limited the effectiveness of traditional CPR, Ewy said.

"People would call 911 and then just stand there," Ewy said, adding that CCC-CPR is geared more toward encouraging bystander-initiated CPR, which he says is an imperative part of saving cardiac arrest victims.

"We think the evidence behind CCC-CPR is so compelling, we're making changes in the way paramedics are doing things," said Ewy, referring to the center's recent teaming with the Tucson Fire Department.

In conjunction with Sarver Heart Center, TFD and paramedics have increased the amount of chest compressions given to cardiac arrest victims and have decreased the amount of time spent on other traditional CPR steps.

Sarver Heart Center public affairs coordinator Pila Martinez said that the development of CCC-CPR at Sarver Heart Center will be beneficial to the UA as well.

"This can only add to the reputation that UA has a premier research center," said Martinez.

Sarver Heart Center is considered to be one of the top centers for CPR research in the world, with many of the center's findings helping to set CPR guidelines recommended by the American Heart Association.

Along with joining forces with TFD, the center has also launched a citywide public education program on CCC-CPR called the "Be a Lifesaver Campaign."

Members of the public are invited to a free demonstration on CCC-CPR on Dec. 20, at the University Medical Center , 1501 N. Campbell Ave., in DuVal Auditorium. Martinez says that a demonstration held on Nov. 29 attracted a surge of public interest in CCC-CPR from the Tucson community.

"There's been a tremendous amount of e-mails and phone calls about this," said Martinez. "We've had an amazing response."