No matter how ready a person is, no one can really predict just how fast or efficient he or she can be when dealing with a situation unless that emergency situation is already in front of him or her. This is especially the case if the emergency situation that you have involves an unconscious person. This, however, does not mean that you cannot ready yourself. Here are some tips on how you can be a bit prepared should you be faced with a life or death situation such as SCA, or what is known as Sudden Cardiac Arrest.
One of the things that you have to keep in mind is that you need to stay calm. In most cases, a stressed out lay responder is more of a danger to the victim than someone who is calm and is quite conscious of what is happening. If the emergency happened outside of your own home, check if there is someone nearby who has an AED with them. This would be of great help to you especially if you are not aware about how to give a CPR.
In case there is no AED available and you have no idea how CPR is performed, the best that you can do is to do chest compressions until the paramedic arrives. In order to do this, you have to make sure that the victim is lying flat on the ground. Locate the end of the sternum and then go up about two inches. This is where you would need to apply the compressions. Make sure that you do not apply the pressure on the end of the sternum or on the ribs as well as the upper abdomen. Doing so would put the victim in more danger. Once you have placed the heel of your palm on the right area, interlock it with your other hand. Keep your arms straight and avoid bending the elbows while applying the compression. It is also not a good idea to do the compressions in a jerking motion. Put your knees apart in order to prevent this. Now, each compression should be at least 5 centimeters in depth. You would also need to make as much as 100 compressions per minute in order to simulate blood circulation. Should you be able to revive the patient even before the paramedic arrives, make sure that you keep him well ventilated and secure. Do not allow him or her to wander off without being checked by a medical professional.
Although most people see sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) as one and the same, this is actually far from the truth. A heart attack can occur when not enough oxygen-rich blood is able to reach the heart. In most cases, there are a number of signs that could signal the onset of a heart attack. This is different from a sudden cardiac arrest where the person, with no prior sign or symptom. suddenly loses consciousness. In most cases, SCA is brought about by irregular heart beat.
To make sure that you respond correctly to any type of medical emergency, enroll in a CPR training and certification course with Citywide CPR.
