American Heart Association Criticizes CPR Portrayal in 'Devil Wears Prada' Sequel

The American Heart Association is using a fictional scene from the new 'Devil Wears Prada' sequel to underscore the life-saving importance of proper cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In the film, a party guest attempts Hands-Only CPR after publishing chairman Irv Ravitz collapses, but no one calls 9-1-1 and the compressions shown are unrealistic and ineffective — mistakes that, in real life, can cost lives.

The Association, a global force changing the future of health for all, notes that every minute without high-quality CPR reduces a person's chance of survival. When films and television depict CPR inaccurately, it can normalize hesitation, confusion and failure in moments when precision saves lives. The Heart Association's Nation of Lifesavers campaign seeks to educate as many as possible and encourage immediate action from anyone who witnesses an emergency.

According to the American Heart Association, there are two steps to save a life in a cardiac emergency: Call 911 immediately and perform Hands-Only CPR. If a teen or adult collapses and is unresponsive, push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of a song with 100-120 beats per minute. The Association suggests the song 'RUNWAY' by Lady Gaga & Doechii (120 BPM) as a perfect tempo for high-fashion lifesaving CPR technique.

Learning Hands-Only CPR is easy and can save lives. You can learn the process quickly from a simple video on the American Heart Association's website at www.heart.org/CPR or by taking a CPR course at an American Heart Association associated training center.

Every minute without CPR during sudden cardiac arrest dramatically reduces a person's chance of survival. Having bystanders respond with the correct rate and depth of compressions supports the chain of survival until medically trained help arrives. A recent study found CPR is frequently misrepresented in scripted television, including who receives it and where cardiac arrests occur.

The Association was recently identified by the Annenberg Public Policy Center as the most trusted public health information source after an individual's personal health care provider — more than 8 in 10 (82%) U.S. adults say they are confident in the American Heart Association to provide trustworthy information related to public health. The Association is also the largest non-government funder of cardiovascular-related scientific research in the world with more than $6 billion in funding distributed over the last 75 years.

As Miranda Priestly might say, 'That's all.'