Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a hands-on emergency intervention used to resuscitate a person who has gone into cardiac arrest by restoring breathing and a heartbeat. A heart attack or near-drowning are two common causes of cardiac arrest.
CPR entails doing chest compressions and, in some situations, rescue breathing (“mouth-to-mouth”). These procedures can maintain blood flow to the brain and other organs until medical assistance arrives. However, brain injury can begin within minutes if oxygen-rich blood cannot reach the brain. This article teaches CPR’s fundamental principles for adults, children, and infants and
What Is CPR?
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) saves a person’s life who is in cardiac arrest (when their heart can no longer pump blood) by attempting to restart their heart. It is a basic approach that everyone can pick up. CPR relies heavily on chest compressions to maintain blood flow to crucial organs until a regular heartbeat is restored. Breaths of oxygen bring additional oxygen into the cardiac arrest patient.
When Should CPR Be Used?
CPR is required for everyone of any age if they:
- Collapse
- Do not respond.
- Are not breathing.
- Do not have a pulse.
Over half of people with a cardiac arrest outside the hospital do not receive immediate assistance. However, if you receive CPR immediately after a cardiac arrest, your chances of survival can be doubled or even tripled.
What To Do Before Attempting CPR
Although time is of the essence, follow these CPR steps before doing CPR on someone:
- Ensure the environment is safe- A fire, traffic incident, or other hazards could endanger your life.
- Attempt to rouse the individual- Firmly tap the person’s shoulder and inquire, “Are you OK?” in a loud voice. After five seconds attempting to awaken the patient, proceed to the next steps.
- Call emergency care- If a patient does not wake up. Even if you are performing CPR on the spot, getting paramedics to the location is critical as soon as possible.
- Place the individual on their back- If the person has a potential spinal injury, turn them or cautiously without disturbing the head or neck.
- Examine your breathing- Tilt the patient’s head back to open the airway and make sure to check breathing. Start CPR if the patient does not take a breath after 10 seconds.
How To Perform CPR
Following the preceding procedures, below is how to conduct CPR. Techniques differ slightly depending on the person’s age. For example, CPR on an adult varies from how CPR is performed on a toddler, and newborns require a different technique.
Adults
The instructions below apply to adults and children over the age of eight.
- Place your hands on the individual’s chest: Consider drawing a line between the nipples and placing the heel of one hand directly on that line in the center of the chest (i.e., the sternum). Then, put your other hand on top of that. Your weight should be directly over your hands.
- Apply chest compressions: Push forcefully and fast—about twice per second—to a depth of at least 2 inches (but no deeper than 2.4 inches) until the subject responds. Although your hands should not bounce, you should raise the patient’s total body weight between compressions.
- Provide rescue breaths: Push on the chest 30 times, then deliver two rescue breaths if you have undergone CPR training and feel comfortable executing the steps.
- Repeat the 30:2 CPR ratio (chest compressions and breaths) until aid arrives or the patient awakens.
Children aged 1 to 8 years
Providing CPR to a child aged 1 to 8 is essentially the same as giving CPR to adults.
- Place your hands on the child’s chest: Place two hands on the infant’s sternum (or one hand if the child is tiny).
- Apply chest compressions: Push forcefully and fast—about twice per second—to a depth of at least 2 inches (but no deeper than 2.4 inches) until the subject responds.
- Provide rescue breaths: Push on the chest 30 times, then deliver two rescue breaths if you have undergone CPR training and feel comfortable executing the steps.
- Repeat: Repeat 30 chest compressions and two breathing cycles until aid arrives or the patient awakens.
Infants
- Flick the bottom of the foot to stimulate a response.
- Place two fingers of one hand in the center of the chest.
- Give chest compressions- Gently use your fingers to compress the chest about 1.5 inches deep. Perform two compressions per second, just as you would when giving an adult CPR.
- Perform rescue breathing- If you are comfortable giving rescue breaths, offer two between each series of 30 chest compressions, just as you would with an older person.
What Does Each Step Do?
Each stage has a specific CPR purpose. Here is what they each do:
1. Inquiring if the individual is OK
Before performing the CPR procedure, be sure the person genuinely needs it. If the person awakens when you gently shake them and talk to them, do not start CPR, but seek medical attention immediately, especially if they appear disoriented or unable to communicate.
2. Dial Emergency Care
Even if you successfully resuscitate the individual using CPR, they must be sent to the hospital by EMS (emergency medical service) as quickly as possible.
If you cannot resuscitate the victim, an EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) may be able to do so using medical equipment such as an automatic external defibrillator (AED).
3. Compressions of the Chest
Compressing the chest causes blood to flow through the brain, keeping it going until the heart can restart. It is vital to maintain the blood flowing continuously. Resuscitating someone using only chest compressions (without rescue breathing) is possible.
4. Breathing Assistance
Rescue breathing, formerly known as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, is meant to utilize your breath to fill the person’s lungs with air and restore their ability to breathe.
One of the most contentious aspects of CPR is rescue breathing. The question of how much is enough (or too much) and if it is even essential is still being debated.
If you must use rescue breathing, ensure you know how to do it correctly.
How To Become Certified
Sri Sri Holistic Hospitals offer a basic CPR training program. The program is designed to teach participants the essential skills and knowledge needed to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in emergencies.
Participants learn about the signs of cardiac arrest and how to properly perform CPR using chest compressions and rescue breaths. Experienced and certified trainers deliver CPR training.
Upon completion of the CPR workshop, participants receive a certificate of completion and are equipped with the skills and confidence to respond to cardiac emergencies safely and effectively.
Final Words
Finally, knowing how to perform CPR can be a life-saving ability for everyone. Knowing the right approach and stages to provide efficient resuscitation is critical. Call +91 8886666108 immediately, check the victim’s level of consciousness, and begin chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute. Maintain deep and quick compressions and interleave breaths every 30 compressions.
Knowing the CPR procedure can give you the confidence to respond in an emergency, potentially saving someone’s life. Hence, to keep your abilities up to date, take a basic CPR certification from Sri Sri Holistic Hospital.
