Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency technique used to save the life of a person who went into heart attack or into drowning where heartbeat and breathing has stopped. Through CPR, oxygen can flow back to a person’s brain and heart and to the rest of his vital organs. The technique can revive a person for a while until such time where he reaches the hospital and a more advanced procedure is performed. AED is useful on the way to the hospital (if the ambulance is equipped with it) in case the person’s heartbeat stops once again.
CPR is composed of two categories. The basic ones involve a difference of its application of this technique between adults to infants and children or toddler. This is basic and it does not require any medical related training. The other category of CPR technique requires medical training. This is for purposes of knowing the right drugs to use, the proper use of endotracheal intubation (EI) to be inserted into the trachea or windpipe and the use of AED or electric shocking device to the heart. However, any person for this matter should best undergo life-saving activity training to be fully certified and qualified.
If not properly trained in CPR, a hand-only technique can be applied by means of uninterrupted chest compressions counting for about 100/minute until rescue team arrives. Reviving a person by chest compressions is applicable for children and infants but not for newborn. A newborn is too fragile to be handled by an untrained person in CPR.
If the person is trained but out of practice and lacks the confidence to perform the technique, uninterrupted chest compression of 100/minute counting is still effective while waiting for the paramedics or rescue team to arrive.
With a trained person in CPR, confidence and ability must be the primary deciding factor in performing the emergency technique. Start with 30 chest compressions before checking the air passage to establish the rescue breathing sequence or the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Confirm if the person is conscious or unconscious. If he fails to respond, call 911 immediately and begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation at once. Start with chest compressions with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation interval. Allow oxygenated blood to flow and circulate in his brain and heart to gain his consciousness while waiting for the rescue team.
Always remember the famous acronym CAB (compressions, airway and breathing) before starting the CPR. This will help to remember the proper steps of performing the CPR. Compression helps in restoring the blood circulation to the vital organs of the unconscious person. Observe for normal breathing within five to ten seconds. Chest motion and breathing sounds is an indicator that the airway is clear. Labored breathing or gasping is not normal and should be given mouth-to-mouth resuscitation quickly. This is where rescue breathing is essential. If the mouth is badly damaged, nose-to-nose breathing can be applied. Give two rescue breaths with the first one for a second and watch if the chest responds. Follow with the second breath and with thirty chest compressions in sequence with the two rescue breaths is one cycle measure. Continue the cycle until the rescue team takes over.
Remember, it is better to help somebody in distress than to leave because of your incapacity to respond accordingly.
