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Taylor Swift’s ‘The Tortured Poets Department’ is perfect for CPR—here are other songs that can help you save lives

By Brooke Villanueva Published May 03, 2024 6:14 pm

Did you know that the title track of Taylor Swift’s new album contains the perfect tempo for performing CPR on an individual?

The American Heart Association recently shared in an Instagram post that the song has “lifesaving beats.”

“If you see a teen or adult collapse, call 911, then push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the best of The Tortured Poets Department,” they wrote. “Thanks, Taylor Swift!”

What is CPR?

CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation is performed in an emergency situation where someone’s heart stops beating.

Cardiac electrophysiologist Marcellus Ramirez told PhilSTAR L!fe that when an individual goes into cardiac arrest, they experience a sudden loss of cardiac function. “The heart goes into a very chaotic rhythm called ventricular fibrillation, wherein there’s totally no effective contraction, blood pressure drops to zero, heart rate is zero, and the patient loses consciousness,” he said, adding that they could pass away if they are not treated immediately.

“During this time, the only way to save the patient is to defibrillate him or to apply direct electrical current to the chest using an equipment called a defibrillator to restore a normal rhythm and heart contraction,” he explained.

The thing, however, is that a defibrillator is not readily available everywhere and it could take a while to have it ready. “You need to keep the heart pumping and blood circulation going to supply blood to the brain and other organs of the body in order to improve the patient’s chance of survival,” stressed Dr. Ramirez.

According to him, such can only be done in the meantime through effective chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 beats per minute. While performing CPR is no easy feat, there are some tracks that can help you maintain your composure and stay on the right track throughout the process.

Songs you can push hard and fast to during CPR, aside from TTPD

It's not just Swift’s The Tortured Poets Department you can keep in mind as you try to save the life of someone you know through CPR. According to Dr. Ramirez, there are a lot more. Below are some of them, including their respective tempos:

  • Staying Alive by The Bee Gees: 104 bpm
  • Another One Bites the Dust by Queen: 112 bpm
  • Kapag Tumibok Ang Puso (Janella Salvador's version): 120 bpm
  • I Will Survive by Gloria Gaynor: 117 bpm
  • The Final Countdown by Europe: 118 bpm
  • You’re Losing Me by Taylor Swift: 103 bpm
  • Stronger by Britney Spears: 108 bpm
  • Something Just Like This by Coldplay and The Chainsmokers: 103 bpm
  • Break My Soul by Beyonce: 115 bpm
  • Flowers by Miley Cyrus: 118 bpm