Being responsible for more than 325,000 deaths every year, sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) has been determined as the number one cause of death in the US. This statistics also means that a US citizen passes away in every two minutes, more or less, due to this heart disease. In addition, it has been found out that 95 percent of the entire SCA deaths take place before the patient is brought to a hospital. It should be noted then that this heart condition is extremely threatening and its occurrence is very unpredictable. These and more suggest anyone to learn at least the basics of CPR and the use of AED.

You may have seen on TV and movies how cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR works as a life-saver to someone undergoing sudden cardiac arrest. Indeed, CPR works and could be practiced even by a person who is not a medical expert. One of the most important things you have to understand about CPR is its primary purpose, which is to provide a way to deliver blood in and out of the heart and brain. In this way, death of brain tissues is delayed and suppressed while the heart is still incapable of pumping blood by itself. As soon as the heart becomes fortunately able to resume its normal operation, you can stop the CPR and proceed to other necessary actions as needed in the specific case of the sufferer.

Another important thing about CPR you have to keep in mind is the proper way of applying chest compressions. Basically, it should be done at least 5 cm deep at a frequency of around 100 times each minute. It is also advisable to provide as much space as possible to the patient to further increase the success rate of CPR. If possible, get the help of someone to call for a physician to attend the sufferer and apply the precise remedy immediately, especially when there is no hospital or any medical clinic nearby. While waiting for medical assistance, just do your best to use CPR as a means of continuing the blood circulation through the patient’s vital organs.

In addition to CPR, the use of automated external defibrillator or AED is advisable as well. This computer-based lifesaver device is primarily intended to analyze the patient’s heart rhythm. If it is a semi-automated AED, the device will let the patient do the necessary action after delivering the findings on the patient’s heart condition and determining the required electric shock to be applied to the patient’s chest. On the other hand, fully automatic AEDs no longer need human intervention because it immediately performs the appropriate necessary action out of the analysis on the heart rhythm of the patient. You can use any of these types of AED to maximize the chances of the sufferer to survive such critical life situation.

If you want to know more about CPR, one of the best things you can do is to go for Citywide CPR’s CPR training. This is where you can practice the most prescribed way of doing CPR and understand other importance facts, including the proper way of using AEDs. Have your CPR training and become an official lifesaver for your loved ones!

In drama movies and TV series, one of the most common tragic events that take place in the plot is the “heart attack” scene where the sufferer either dies or becomes hospitalized. Also, such drama scenes involve another character – usually the sufferer’s friend or family member – who tries to apply cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to save the patient. The sad fact is that there are now too many people who have developed misconceptions on CPR; how it is applied and how well it could save a person’s life.

Don’t be conceived by what health experts call the “CPR Myths”. Remember that movies or TV dramas are not as realistic as real life. You have to learn what these myths are and what right facts to believe or correct practices to be applied instead. How CPR becomes a life-saver in fictional stories could not be exactly the way it does in reality. So, here are some of the CPR myths that you should avoid or stop practicing:

• CPR Alone “Restarts” the Heart’s Functionality – this is technically inaccurate because the primary purpose of CPR is rather to restore the partial stream of oxygenated blood to the heart and brain to delay death of tissues in these organs as this practice takes place. The use of the device called automated external defibrillator (AED) along with other secondary first aid practices could completely “restart” the heart’s functionality after doing CPR.

• CPR is More Successful by Putting a Pillow under the Patient’s Head – this is just a misconception on the practice of health experts. Putting a pillow under the head of the patient during such condition is helpful in a sense that it could prevent banging the patient’s head on the surface as CPR or the use of AED takes place.

• CPR Means Exerting Your Fullest Force When Doing Chest Compressions – this is another inaccurate concept that is often featured on dramas. It is advised for a person who doesn’t know anything about CPR to try to apply it while there’s no any medical expert arriving yet. However, it must be noted that proper CPR basically involves at least 5 cm-deep chest compressions with a rate of not lower than 100 times per minute. Its purpose is to create artificial circulation by forcing blood to flow in and out of the heart.

• CPR is Incomplete without Mouth-to-Mouth Resuscitation – it is correct to provide external breathe to an unconscious patient due to cardiac arrest or any other crucial heart condition. However, medical experts advise this practice to be done only if you know the person and you are comfortable enough for this kind of physical contact, and if chest compression alone won’t work. Additionally, you can use a barrier between your and patient’s mouth if it really calls for a mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

There are many other myths as well as important lessons about proper CPR that Citywide CPR offers in its CPR Training. Enroll now and as soon as you complete the Citywide CPR CPR Training, you could assure yourself to be a certified lifesaver of people suffering from any crucial heart condition.

Men and women who are in their late 30’s and beyond start to become more vulnerable to cases of cardiac arrest or any other similar heart disease. That is why if you are with someone who belongs to such age bracket, it is best for you to know a thing or two about saving that person’s life the moment that unfortunate event takes place. Remember that there is a myriad of possibilities that could make your loved one’s heart condition bring him or her to a between-life-and-death situation.

It has already been widely known that cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR could be applied by anyone knowledgeable of it, especially when there is no health expert around at the instance of the sufferer’s cardiac arrest. This first aid practice is indeed of great help during such emergency cases. However, there are cases where CPR alone is not enough as the sufferer urgently needs the necessary remedy. Good thing there are now automated external defibrillators or AEDs that could be used to enhance the chances of the patient to survive his crucial situation. This life-saving device is advised to be used along with the application of CPR to the patient.

One nice thing about AEDs is that these are now required to be set ready on public places that mostly accommodate a huge number of adult men and women. These public places include corporate buildings, shopping malls, and of course, hospitals and health clinics. Even on emergency services vehicles and on some large transportation like airlines and cruise ships, this life-saving equipment is recommended to be mounted on accessible locations. In other words, you no longer need to worry if you can’t afford to have your own AED for your loved one who is a sufferer or even a candidate for such medical condition. You can use the provided public AED unit nearby whenever you need it.

Regarding how AEDs work, it should be noted that this machine is computer-based and is primarily intended to make analysis on the given heart rhythm. It is mainly classified as either semi-automated or fully automated. In a semi-automated type of AED, the user will be advised whether it is necessary to apply a shock to the patient or not, based on the analyzed heart rhythm. Its main difference to the fully automated AED is that the latter no longer waits for the user’s input after the patient’s heart rhythm is analyzed. Fully automated AEDs, as the name implies, automatically apply the necessary shock upon finding out that the patient’s heart need it to recover from the crucial condition.

The exact use of AEDs depends on the type and model of the unit. You can find on its manual the step-by-step instructions and other how-to’s on using this device anyway. In addition, you can learn more about using an AED and other important notes by enrolling at Citywide CPR’s AED Medical Oversight and AED Program Management. This is such a good investment if you want to be more assured of your loved one’s security from the threats of alarming heart diseases like cardiac arrest. Go for AED Medical Oversight and AED Program Management now!

CPR training is now viewed as a vital knowledge in almost all modern society. The idea of applying manual resuscitation method began with the 19^th century when the procedure was introduced by Dr. H.R. Silvester, originally dubbed as The Silvester Method, the steps included in the process was laying the patient flat on their back and lifting their arms over their heads in order to support inhalation and pressing on their chest for exhalation. The procedure was applied for about 16 times per minute or for as long as it was necessary. An updated version of the procedure was then invented and renamed the Holger Nielsen procedure; completely different iteration from the original method, this version instead has the patient lying face down with their elbows being raised and as the pressure on the body is increased, air is forced into the body to aid oxygen circulation. Surprisingly, similar methods were also invented in Japan and were a fundamental teaching in the martial arts Judo. It is noted that this version was applied and was actually successful in helping revive an unconscious individual due to lack of oxygen; the method was called Kutatsu of Kappo. Records have also stated that the martial art has perfected this method when it comes to application and effectiveness.

The 20^th century was the era where CPR training was seriously looked at and considered to be a viable method in resuscitating those who has suffered from cardiac arrest or drowning. This is where medical experts started looking at the process and changing some of the methods in order to further enhance its effectiveness in application during emergencies. James Jude and Guy Knickerbocker were the ones that further elaborated the method of cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the key importance of the compressing the chest with palm and continuously putting pressure on it to simulate the heartbeat. While another team of medical experts, Peter Safar and James Elam provided accurate studies on the effectiveness of adding the method of artificial respiration into the procedure. Once the two methods were combined modern CPR was finally invented and is still used today during medical emergencies in order to buy some time for the patient until proper medical personnel arrives at the scene. It took almost a full century for the complete and modern version of the procedure to be created and unless a much better option is proposed, the procedure is seen to be continually applied way into the future.

During further studies in the 20^th century however, the effectiveness of artificial respiration was downgraded considerably as medical experts discovered how little its impact on the whole procedure is. As of today, the American Heart Association (AHA) has only recognized the efficiency of the heart compression method only.

Studies in medical procedures have clearly developed since the medieval and 19^th century. The fact that CPR is still commonly used today is a testament to its sheer effectiveness, while not exactly in saving lives but giving the body a chance to survive. Trainings are done all over the world concerning the procedure in order to educate people of the importance of knowing first aid methods whenever the need arises.

One of the most necessary skills that a person must have in terms of first aid and emergency readiness is proper CPR training. CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a technique done to a person that has experienced some form of dire health problem. This procedure is usually applied in order to preserve higher brain function until proper medical assistance arrives. The process involves manually aiding the circulation of oxygen throughout the circulatory system in an effort to revive an unresponsive patient. By compressing the chest area by about 5cm and constantly pumping at the chest, ideally 100 per minute, the person may help the flow of oxygen as well as the heart. However, the method does not guarantee in jumpstarting the heart and mainly used as a form of support to slow down the shutting down of bodily functions. Delaying clinical death is the main purpose of the procedure, in order to restart the heart a defibrillator is need to administer a sudden jolt of electricity. When used as the main form of reviving an unconscious person that is suffering from a major injury, the chances of success is considerably low and those that do survived may find some serious health complications usually concerning a decrease in brain functionality due to the lack of oxygen suffered. Although the administration of the first aid procedure and immediately using defibrillator within 3-5 minutes has yielded the best results in medical reports.

In most countries, including the United States, CPR training is a mandatory skillset that is taught in most universities and seminars are readily available for those interested in learning this vital first aid procedure. While in statistics, cardiopulmonary resuscitation is not a 100% effective first aid procedure on its own; the fact that it can buy a patient a few valuable minutes is reason enough to regard the procedure as one of the most vital first aid procedures. 911 reports confirmed that most calls where emergent medical attention was needed, those with individuals who are knowledgeable about the first aid procedure, even basic knowledge was able to survive long enough for emergency personnel to  arrive and apply proper resuscitation procedure. It cannot be argued the utmost importance of knowing first aid procedures as accidents can happen anytime to anyone, thus, knowing exactly what to do in these times of crisis can not only save that person’s life but also anyone else in the vicinity of the accident.

Some complications concerning the procedure however are still present. Injuries can still be sustained from the application of CPR and is pretty common. A fractured rib is easily suffered when adequate force is used by the first aid provider as the unconscious body will not be able to react in accordance to the pressure being applied to the chest area. Iatrogenic injuries that can also be suffered through the procedure however, will need added medical attention. These cases of injuries that can even possibly result in death are why proper training must be done; basic medical training should be a mandatory curriculum in all universities as it can be the only difference between life and death.

Current studies have shown that the location a person will suffer an unfortunate accident, like say, sudden cardiac arrest will play a major factor in their chances of survival. Statistics have shown that reports that came in where the incident occurred in a poor, mainly black neighborhood where shown to have 50% less chances of being applied first aid CPR compared to neighborhoods where there are more whites and other minorities. Even well off neighborhoods with mostly black population were 23% less likely to apply CPR. CPR training is readily available for all who wishes to learn this valuable skillset and is encouraged by health organizations all over the world. So what is the reason for this huge difference in areas containing different ethnic backgrounds? It is still pretty much uncertain why this huge difference are present but studies have pointed at economic diversity as one of the causes. People in poorer areas are less likely to be educated about proper first aid responses than those in a relatively stable economic status. Unfortunately, the studies done in Chicago during the 1980’s about the differences between areas has also pointed out the racial discrimination is still a huge factor. It is saddening to discover that racism is still a huge factor in society today, and this may have caused a huge percentage of the fatalities reported on SCA or sudden cardiac arrest. Proof of this point is that black and Latinos who experience sudden cardiac arrest in a public area were 30% less likely to receive the first aid procedure. This is a very grim statistic in itself and must be resolved some way or another.

Medical experts are now looking at ways to remedy this. They have also stated that while attending proper CPR training classes are much recommended, basic instructions are readily available online for those who do not have time of money to attend any of these seminars. Doctors have also went on record that simply compressing the chest area constantly will suffice and give victims much needed extra minutes without resorting to artificial resuscitation. To help civilians with their confidence in applying the procedure medical practitioners gave a simple tip of pressing on the chest area to the tune of “Staying Alive” by the BeeGees; they have stated that by following a known and constant rhythm the person applying the method will have a much needed boost in confidence in their selves to apply the procedure correctly. With this, medical institutions will hope that the community will be much more active when the need for emergency medical procedure arises wherever their neighborhood lies. It is both in the hands of medical institutes and public health organizations to help push and instruct the society towards a safer future. In the end, it will still fall on the shoulders of the common people to make a change for the better, indifference is said to be a much worse characteristic than hate and society must strive in order to remove this from their daily lives.

With 70% of Americans who feel helpless whenever a sudden cardiac emergency occurs at home, CPR is certainly a skill that is a “must have” for every individual.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is not something that should only be known to rescuers, firefighters, nurses, doctors or caregivers, considering that emergencies can happen anywhere where these heroes may not be around. Most cardiac emergencies occur at home and the crucial seconds that could mean saving a loved one may simply lie in your hands.

Out of the more than 300,000 cases of sudden cardiac arrests occurring in places other than hospitals, 88% of such happen at home. In fact, many victims are not known to be suffering from a particular disease or health problem. Remember that a heart attack is not synonymous to cardiac arrest, the former occurring whenever blood supply to the heart is blocked while the latter is the result of the former.

Based on the abovementioned numbers, it now becomes imperative for at least one member of the family to know the basics of CPR. The risk of a cardiac arrest will always be there and it is a matter of choice whether you would like to understand the basics of this life-saving measure or not.

Administering CPR immediately after the emergency occurs is meant to save lives. Majority of cases of cardiac emergencies, where no CPR was administered, lead to deaths. And, most of the time, such cases are those that happen outside hospitals where no health professional is around. These emergencies don’t only happen in homes, they also happen in malls, cafes, restaurants and other public places. If you know CPR, you can administer what is referred to as bystander CPR and save a life.

Today, the American Heart Association endorses Hands-Only CPR. This process no longer includes mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and only continuous hands-only chest compressions. According to the AHA, Hands-Only CPR is just as effective in treating patients as the CPR with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. This has been promoted by the AHA since 2008. It is easier to learn and one can have basic knowledge on its implementation by simply watching a one-minute video on how it is done.

Who can be saved by CPR?

Everyone! At home, CPR is applicable on adults, children and even babies. This is why it is strongly encouraged for families to have a member learn the basics of CPR. This is all the more recommended for those with family history of a heart attack. Some of the things that will tell you that you are in danger of a cardiac emergency are chest pain, nausea or vomiting, shortness of breath and pain the jaw. If these symptoms start becoming noticeable, you need to be more wary of your condition.

Here are some tips that you can do to prevent a sudden cardiac arrest:

• Refrain from smoking. If you can quit smoking, do it.
• Stay fit, be active physically.
• Eat a balanced diet. Choose foods that are heart-healthy.
• Limit alcohol intake. As much as possible, it shouldn’t be more than one, or at most 2 drinks per day.

Remember that a sudden cardiac arrest can occur in anyone. Sometimes there may not be any sign that will be noticeable. So aside from taking the proper precautionary measures, better learn CPR today.

Statistics has shown that out of every five cardiac arrests, four happen at home. In fact, Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is said to be the leading cause of death in people age 40 and above, and the number is approximately equivalent to the number of deaths combined arising from other causes such as breast cancer, diabetes, HIV, cervical cancer, assault with firearms and many more. While more than a hundred thousand die from Sudden Cardiac Arrest each year, there is still a chance for this number to decline so long as the proper intervention is administered at the earliest stages. It has been widely recognized that one of the most effective interventions that the average man and woman can do to help prevent death from this condition is through CPR.

CPR, or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, is a first-aid technique that utilizes chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in order to deliver oxygen to persons and to provide artificial heart circulation. This is a life-saving process that can be administered not only by professional medical teams but by all individuals who gets to learn the procedure.

It has been ascertained that cardiac arrests commonly occur at home or at work. There are times that it can happen in a public location. When SCA occurs and no medical help is nearby, it becomes imperative for you to be able to administer CPR. But how can you do this if you were not trained for it? Knowledge on CPR is vital since the life that you save may be most likely that of your loved one. It has even been shown that people who got to watch a video of how CPR is done have a higher chance of saving the lives of individuals when the situation would demand it.

The growing number of deaths resulting from SCA has called for institutions to provide CPR classes in order to impart that valuable life-saving knowledge to the average American. These classes are being offered in various parts of the US and can be availed of by anyone. As long as you have the time to learn, then these classes are ideal for you.

If your job requires you to work closely with other people, you might just need these special first-aid skills. Some jobs that require substantial CPR skills are being a babysitter, lifeguard, nurse and health care provider. Learning these skills will also be a plus factor for any other job. Having a certification that you have successfully completed CPR classes will surely make you an invaluable asset to any company.

Aside from chest compressions and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, other skills that you may consider worthy of knowing is defibrillation and how to administer mild therapeutic hypothermia.

Indeed, you may always call 911 during emergencies. But try to consider this, how will you know when and where it will happen, to ensure that you are just close to the nearest 911 station? There is none. Sudden cardiac arrest can happen anytime and anywhere. Equipping yourself with the right CPR skills can surely help save a life.

Do you know that more than a hundred thousand Americans die from Sudden Cardiac Arrest every year, and that more than 95% actually die before they even reach the gates of the hospital? These are sad figures that will most likely to have you thinking, what if the cardiac arrest will happen to someone you know? What if medical emergency help will not arrive soon enough to apply first-aid treatment, what will you do?

While death is inevitable, there is still something that everyone can do when it comes to increasing the rate of survival of persons suffering from such an attack.

Two of the first-aid techniques that have worked effectively at increasing the chances of survival of patients are CPR or Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and the use of AED or Automated External Defibrillation. Medical professionals in reviving patients during emergencies have utilized both CPR and AED. The rising number of patients suffering from cardiac arrests has made individuals and businesses recognize the importance of CPR AED training.

CPR AED training is a program that is provided by many accredited health organizations that will equip individuals with the proper first aid skills. They will be trained on how to correctly administer CPR and how to handle AEDs. There have been some new techniques developed at present that makes it simpler for individuals to administer first-aid to people who suddenly collapse and the like. These techniques are taught in these programs, and once you have completed the training, you also get to receive a certificate.

One new technique that has been widely used today is the hands-only CPR. This makes use of continuous chest compressions that will promote an artificial type of circulation in the body. This is effective on individuals whose hearts have suddenly stopped beating, or for those who collapsed all of a sudden without any cause. Before, CPR was synonymous to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions, done in specified intervals. But the first method is somehow discouraged at present in order to prevent the transmissible diseases from being contracted by an individual. This is also the reason why in emergency cases attended to by professional medical response teams, one person does the chest compressions while another would place an oxygen mask on the face, instead of doing mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

AED CPR training is clearly a must for businesses considering that there are many lives involved in the workplace. Cases of Sudden Cardiac Arrests occurring in the workplace are common. Therefore, having well-trained personnel who knows how to handle the situation is really very welcome.

For individuals, this training is also a must, considering that many emergencies occur at home. This is quite imperative in homes where there are family member who are suffering from high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or if you have a history of stroke and heart problems.

Saving lives is the responsibility of everyone. Yes, there are rescue teams that will not hesitate to attend to emergency situations whenever there is one, but the time between the occurrence of the emergency and their arrival is crucial for the survival of the patient. If you have the proper training, you can immediately provide first-aid help during this interval and help the patient survive, just until professional medical help arrives.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provided some vital information with regards to the occurrence of Sudden Cardiac Arrests (SCA) in the workplace. According to its report, there are approximately 10,000 cases of SCAs that occur in workplaces. Since 95% out of the total cardiac arrest cases die before they reach the hospital, there is now a need for businesses to implement a good AED management program in their respective workplaces. This will definitely increase the chances of survival of individuals who may unexpectedly suffer from cardiac arrest while at work, and at the same time give more value to the business.

Since SCA is the leading cause of death all over America, your ability to have proper AED management will surely make your workplace heart safe. This means that you implement the necessary equipment, training and skill within your place of business, to ensure that your place is less-riskier when it comes to such a situation.

The American Heart Association recommends certain programs that can make businesses heart safe. These programs include record keeping, heart safe training, maintenance of AEDs and having a licensed physician that will oversee the entire AED program, in order to ensure its effectiveness. The recommended number of trained personnel for AEDs, in a single location is 10. Those providing AED programs would normally train 10 people in a particular organization or company that will have the ability to respond and provide first-aid AED solutions whenever emergency situations occur. Training for AED usually includes Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or CPR. This is needed since AED works more efficiently in conjunction with CPR.

What normally happens during emergencies, where an employee or an officer will suddenly collapse is that trained AED/CPR personnel will give CPR responses, and subsequently AED. By implementing this first-aid recourse at the earliest, you can just save the life of an individual.

With a good AED management program running in the workplace, you will see and feel many benefits such as:

1. Workers are more confident in the company as a whole. They will come to trust your company even more, considering that you show them that you do care for their welfare in the workplace.
2. Peace of mind. This may not be very apparent, but knowing that you have a good management program running, you can be assured that your company is ready for medical emergencies.
3. Increasing business value. Showing the public that your business cares for its employees can literally increase the positive perception of the public towards your business as a whole.
4. Readiness and preparedness. When emergencies arise, your workplace wouldn’t be in total chaos. There will be personnel to handle the situation with precision, who have been trained to attend to such emergencies, and provide the best medical solutions.
5. Lives will be saved. Every second matters when it comes to helping people survive emergency situations.

These are just some of the benefits that proper AED management can bring to your business. With these great benefits, your business will be a safer place for everyone.