Alarmingly, 88 percent of cardiac arrest happen in homes. This is why anyone is encouraged to learn how to do CPR or Cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is an emergency procedure performed to provide a trickle of oxygenated blood to the brain and heart and vital organs until defibrillation can be performed.
Cardiac arrest occurs when electrical impulses in the heart become chaotic or rapid that causes the heart to suddenly stop beating, a heart attack on the other hand, occurs when the blood supply to a heart muscle is blocked and it may cause cardiac arrest. Statistically, four out of five cardiac arrests happen at home.
It is important to understand that CPR does not automatically restart a heart. While performing CPR, you are manually pumping blood through the heart, which is important for someone experiencing cardiac arrest. If a ventricular fibrillation occurs with no CPR or AED administered within 10 minutes, chances of survival is significantly low. Hence, is CPR is administered immediately, a patient’s rate of survival doubles, even triples.
CPR: The New Approach
CPR was first introduced in the form of mouth to mouth resuscitation and then later developed into what would become one of the basic first aid practices. Before CPRs are done in an ABC Approach that stands for Airway, Breathing and Circulation. However, the current process follows a CAB Approach. The patient will experience delay in breathing for approximately 18 seconds in this new process but circulation through compressions is more vital than addressing breathing or airway.
Thirty compressions are immediately provided, then the patient’s head is tilted to open the airway, then gives two breaths. The current process has removed Cricoid Pressure that involves applying pressure to the windpipe while breathing on them. Studies have shown this practice is difficult for rescuers to perform besides this action does not make much of a difference.
CPR can be physically exhausting for a rescuer and since CPR has to be done continuously until AED is made available. If another person is present to help give CPR, you can switch out every two minutes.
The rescuer should place the heel of one hand on the center of the victim’s chest and the other hand right on top of the other with the fingers intertwined. From 1 ½ inches deep, the current guidelines have changed it to 2 inches. This is to pump enough blood while the AED is on its way. A rate of at least 100 compressions per minute has to be delivered. In place of breathing for the victim, high quality compressions must be given until professional rescue arrives.
A total of two breaths should be given to the patient and then the rescuer must immediately start chest compressions. A cycle of 30 impressions and 2 breaths should be continued until help arrives.
With more research on human body discovering new and profound data on how to treat problems, CPR standards will continue to evolve to increase the rate of survival in cardiac arrest. One must be knowledgeable about the latest approach in CPR to save more lives.
