Phone app alerts did not increase bystander CPR rates in study of two major population areas
A smartphone app designed to alert nearby CPR-trained volunteers resulted in similar response times for bystander CPR or automated external defibrillator (AED) use compared with the standard 911 response for people experiencing cardiac arrest, according to new, preliminary, independent late-breaking science presented Saturday at the American Heart Association's Resuscitation Science Symposium…
A smartphone application called PulsePoint Respond, designed to alert nearby CPR-trained individuals, did not significantly increase bystander CPR rates or the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) in a study conducted in two major population areas, according to preliminary research presented at the 2026 American Heart Association Resuscitation Science Symposium in Chicago.
The study, led by Steven Brooks, M.D., M.H.Sc., compared bystander CPR rates when the app was activated versus when it was not, finding no statistically significant difference. In communities utilizing PulsePoint Respond, bystander CPR occurred in 69% of cases with alerts and 72% without, while AED use occurred in 15% and 17%, respectively.
Despite the app's potential to connect CPR-trained volunteers with cardiac arrest victims, the findings suggest that high baseline rates of bystander CPR may have limited the observed benefit of alerts. Researchers acknowledged the need for further studies to determine the effectiveness of the PulsePoint Respond system in various settings, such as private homes, rural areas, and regions with longer emergency response times.
Written by urgent.news from Medical Xpress's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
