CPR on TV is often inaccurate – but watching characters jump to the rescue can still save real lives

TV shows can be misleading when it comes to educating viewers on hands-only CPR, along with who experiences cardiac arrest and where.

By: Beth Hoffman, University of Pittsburgh, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: January 12, 2026

Words: 1,066

Last Updated: 2 months, 1 week ago

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By Beth Hoffman, University of Pittsburgh

Television characters who experience cardiac arrest outside a hospital are more likely to receive CPR than people in real life. But the CPR on these shows often depicts outdated practices and inaccuracies about who is most likely to experience cardiac arrest and where, according to newly published research from my team at the University of Pittsburgh.

How CPR is portrayed in the media is important to understand because research …

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