Anyone who has ever undergone a CPR training in the past would tell you that, in order to perform the said life-saving procedure, you would need to remember three things – Airway – Breathing – Compression. With the release of the 2010 Guidelines from the American Heart Association, however, such is no longer the case.

The last time a guideline was issued by the American Heart Association was in 2005. That being the case, one of the main differences between the 2005 version and the 2010 version is the fact that you now have to follow a C-A-B “route” rather than the traditional A-B-C. This came about as result of the study done comparing the probability of being able to save a person using the C-A-B model and the A-B-C model. You have to keep in mind, however, that, as with any other rule, there is an exception this. In the cases of newborn babies, a different set of procedure is set in place. Of course, you do not have to worry much about this as you would probably never come across such situation involving a newborn baby.

In the 2010 guideline, emphasis is more on doing rather than on the assessment of the victim. This came about after studies have shown that even the slightest of delay in providing CPR could mean the death of the patient. If you cannot detect any breathing from the patient, you can be sure that CPR is needed.

The 2010 CPR Guidelines also placed more weight on the depth of each compression as well as the number of compression made in an hour. Based on the guidelines, the American Heart Association now recommends each compression to be at least two inches deep. There is also a 100 compression set minimum per minute. According to most medical professionals, the best way to achieve this would be to time each of the compression along with the beat in the song. “Stayin’ Alive”.

One of the major changes done in the 2005 guideline which is indicated in the 2010 guideline is the use of hands-only CPR for those who have not undergone any formal CPR training or who do not know how CPR should be done. Particular weight is given on this issue as most medical professionals believe that the simple act of compressing the heart would cause an artificial circulation. This, in turn, would enable the oxygen in the blood to reach tissues and, thus, prevent tissue necrosis (or tissue death). In addition to this, the American Heart Association also placed emphasis on continuing the compression until the victim shows sign of being conscious or until paramedics arrive. You can also choose to stop with the administration of chest compression if there is already an AED in place. An AED, or the Automated External Defibrillator, can deliver the needed electrical shock in order to stabilize the rhythm of the heart.

Get to know more about proper CPR by undergoing a CPR training and certification with Citywide CPR. You can also enroll in their AED program management.

For most part, majority of the people all over the world are quite aware about the importance of CPR and First Aid when it comes to saving lives. Unfortunately, although the importance of the said procedures are not lost, how it should be done is, altogether, a different matter.

One of the things that you need to remember whether you are administering CPR or other first aid treatment is to make sure that you are safe and secure. You would not be able to save a life if yours is also in harm’s way. That being the case, you should not just jump and go inside a burning building without determining first if the building is structurally safe.

Before you take any step, you have to figure out first whether the patient is conscious or unconscious. This can easily be done by shaking and/ or shouting at the patient. If the patient is unresponsive, you might have to administer CPR. If the patient responds but seems to be disoriented,have him or her lay down comfortably and wait for the professionals to arrive. In the latter case, of course, there is no need for you to perform a CPR.

It is also a good thing to keep in mind that not all cases concerning an unconscious victim would respond to CPR. CPR is typically used for cardiac arrest victims. This means that the said life-saving procedure would only prove to be helpful if the heart has already stopped pumping blood. CPR is used in order to simulate artificial circulation of the blood. What this does is keep the tissues of various organs from drying. Keep in mind that a dead tissue can cause organ failure. You also have to be aware of the fact that cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack. Cardiac arrests lead to sudden unconsciousness with the victim often no pulse. In a heart attack, the victim typically suffers from a number of warning signs such as heavy feeling on the chest, numbness of the exterior limbs, and difficulty breathing.

Due to the changes made by the American Heart Association when it comes to handling CPR, the first thing that you would need to do is to administer chest compression before checking the airway and administering breaths.  If, by chance, you are not familiar with how CPR is done, you can just do chest compression until the paramedics arrive. The only thing that you would need to remember is that your compression should be at least 2 inches deep. You should also be able to do as much as 100 compressions in a minute. The best way to go about this would be to go along the beat of “Stayin’ Alive”. If possible, do not stop doing the compression. If you feel yourself getting tired and the paramedics has not yet arrived, your best move would be to have someone take over.

A good way to ready yourself for any kind of medical emergency would be to take up a CPR training and certification program under Citywide CPR.

Unless you have been living under the rock, then you would probably be aware that the way CPR is done has undergone some changes in the last two or so years. If, in the past, CPR involves the checking of the airway. then administration of artificial breaths, and then the chest compression, today, bystanders could very well be a hero and help save someone’s life by just knowing how to do chest compressions.

It was in 2010 that the American Heart Association suggested the change from an ABC (Airway – Breathing – Compression) approach to CPR to a CAB one. This was done after studies have shown that there is a higher probability of saving a person’s life with artificial blood circulation than with respiration. This is due to the fact that the former allows the blood to circulate and bring the needed oxygen to tissues. What this does it keep the body tissues from dying, also known as tissue necrosis. Since the tissue is, somehow, kept alive, the possibility of an organ failure is kept to a minimum. Care should, however, still be taken when administering chest compressions. For one, it is not a be-all and end-all solution to each and every case of unconscious victims. First aiders would first have to ascertain that the patient has suffered a cardiac arrest. Now, although most people use cardiac arrest and heart attack interchangeably, the two are different. With cardiac arrest, the person concerned would suddenly collapse, become non-responsive, and have irregular breathing. In most cases, there could be no detectable breathing as well as pulse at all. On the other hand, heart attacks take place when something block the arteries supplying the heart. In most cases, cardiac arrest comes without warning while, in the case of heart attack, the patient may feel some chest pain or tingling sensation and numbness on his or her arms and neck.

With the role that compressions play when it comes to saving a life, most people would think that people from all walks of life would pay attention to how it should be done. In truth, however, there seems to be a lower chance of someone administering CPR, or chest compression at least, in poor areas. According to a study, Latinos and black are less likely to receive CPR compared to white victims. In addition to that, poor, black victims are 50% less likely to receive help in the form of CPR. There also seems to be a significant difference in the likelihood of getting CPR between urban, suburban and rural areas. All these figures can be attributed to a number of causes but majority can be chalked up to the fear of a bystander of doing it wrong or of being held responsible should the patient concerned not make it through. Although it can be considered as discrimination, one has to understand that, should a white person become unconscious, a black bystander might hesitate extending assistance since it might be seen in the wrong light.

It would be to your advantage if you would undergo the CPR training and certification program being offered by Citywide CPR.

As cliched as it may sound, accidents can take place anytime and anywhere. For the most part, it is this that has hindered many people from being able to stay calm and provide the needed assistance. One way to go about this, however, would be to arm yourself with the right knowledge of what to do.

A number of people often wonder about what benefit they could get from getting a certification in CPR, also known as Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation. In the same line, the question of who regulates the certification also comes into play. Although it does not necessarily and directly regulate the issuance of CPR certification, the Red Cross as well as the American Heart Association and the National Safety Council provide the guideline by which CPR should be performed. This would include the latest change on how the procedure should be carried, starting instead from chest compression instead of checking and clearing of the airway. The importance of being a certified CPR administrator also comes into question seeing that there are AEDs (Automated External Defibrillator) that can be used in order to guide even the most amateur when it comes to doing chest compressions.

Not many people may know it but, during emergency situations, one can perform chest compressions regardless whether he or she has the necessary CPR certification. This, however, does not mean that the certificate has no bearing. For one, it is able to increase the probability of you saving a person’s life since you are familiar with how CPR should really be done. Apart from this, you would not be confined to just administering chest compressions. You would also have the knowledge of how to do artificial respiration. Of course, you would also be able to converse quite easily with the paramedics, giving them the information that they need before they transport the patient to the hospital. The most important thing is that you would know if you should administer CPR or not. Keep in mind that CPR is not applicable in all cases of unconscious patients. It is only effective if the case concerned involves a patient suffering from cardiac arrest. In a cardiac arrest case, restoration of blood circulation is very important as, by doing so, the needed oxygen would be brought to the different organs. Timing is important in cases like these since being a minute too late can lead to tissue necrosis which, in turn, could lead to organ failure.

A number of companies who need people knowledgeable in CPR would also require CPR certification from applicants. In most cases, they take into consideration the curriculum being followed by the training provider.

At the end of the day, however, whether you have a CPR certification or not, it is only right that you do something should the person next to you suddenly becomes unconscious with no discernible pulse.

You can learn more about the proper way of doing CPR by undergoing the CPR training and certification program by Citywide CPR.

It cannot be denied that, when it comes to saving a person’s life, being prepared is the best solution. This means that the people around him or her should have at least a working knowledge of how to apply chest compressions. That being the case, would it be practical for you to have an AED unit in your own home?

AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator. It is a portable device that can be used in order to administer electric shock to the heart in order to normalize the beating pattern. It is typically used when the case involves arrhythmia in the ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. Keep in mind that not all heart attacks would require the use of AED nor the application of CPR. These two are only used in cases of cardiac arrest.

As promising as the AED might sound, it is not something that you can use in order to revive just about any unconscious soul. If a situation involves a different reason for the cardiac arrest, the use of the AED would not really be practical. In such cases, a CPR might prove to be more useful.

Under what conditions should you consider getting an AED?

If you have had a history of such medical condition as ventricular tachycardia, you might want to consider having an AED on hand. This unit typically comes three in forms – manual, semi-automatic, and automatic. Manual AEDs are typically recommended for those who have knowledge of how much shock or jolt should be applied in order to restore proper rhythm to the heart. The user would be the one to input all the needed details in order to get the desired jolt. Semi-automatic AED, on the other hand, requires the user to push a certain button before the jolts would be administered. As the name implies, an automatic AED would automatically administer the needed jolts in order to revive the patient after due warning had been given by the unit. The last two typically come with voice prompts that make it possible for the use to administer CPR and make use of the device even when he or she does not have any experience on such. When using the AED on a patient, you have to make sure that you have someone call 911, or the emergency number in your area so that the patient could easily be transported to the nearest hospital.

Of course, even with an AED on hand, you have to keep in mind that your AED nor the CPR that you would be performing would be enough to get the patient on his or her feet again. Even if they already appear to be coherent, you have to make sure that you being them to a medical professional for a check-up. This is because, only a medical professional can determine if the patient’s mental faculties have been affected by the insufficient oxygen to the brain.

More information about AED program management is being offered by Citywide CPR.

In order for an emergency case to be resolved efficiently and quickly, one has to be calm and focused. Of course, it also helps if one has an idea of as well as the needed skill when it comes to how to handle different emergency situations. Now, in case the person who is willing to provide assistance does not have any knowledge of CPR or what to do, what would be the best solution for him or her?

AED, short for Automated External Defibrillator, is a portable electronic device that has been slowly gaining notice as one of the easiest ways of saving another person’s life. An AED is typically used in cases of cardiac arrhythmia involving ventricular fibrillation and  ventricular tachycardia. What this device does is stop arrhythmia in order to give the heart a chance to restore normal beating pattern.

Currently, a number of states have already put into place local laws that make it compulsory for establishments, particularly educational institutions, to have at least one unit of AED on hand. That being the case, if you want to feel truly safe inside your own home, it would be prudent to have your own AED. But, can you get just about any AED being offered in the market?

One of the things that you have to consider when getting an AED is the layout of the AED being presented to you. Especially if you do not have any knowledge about AED nor how to perform a CPR, make sure that you go for an AED that has a very simple and user-friendly layout or design. A simple layout will help you easily find your way around even if you are already under stress and pressure as can be expected of any emergency situation.

The AED you should go for should be able to provide you with voice prompts on how to apply CPR as well as how to use the device. When it comes to this, you have three choices. You can either go for the semi-automatic AED or the fully automatic AED or the manual AED. With a semi-automatic AED, the device would not administer any electric jolt unless you specifically push the button for the jolts. This is as opposed to an automatic AED where the jolts would be administered automatically after the device has given you due notice. In a manual AED, on the other hand, it would be up to the user how much jolts would be administered. The device would no longer perform any analysis of the patient’s condition. This type of AED is typically recommended for those who ahve medical background.

AEDs also typically come with lithium batteries specifically issued by the manufacturer. Some of these batteries are rechargeable while other are not. If possible, go for the former as this takes away the need to constantly be on the lookout on where to get the right set of batteries. Some AED units would also typically come with ECG display. This is useful especially if you have background in reading ECG reports.

Citywide CPR offers AED program management which you might be interested in especially if you would like to make the most of your device.

In our everyday life, there is always that possibility of an accident presenting itself right before our eyes. Unfortunately, in most cases, the bystander involved are not fully aware of what should be done. If you happen to come across such situation, would you know what to do?

When it comes to an emergency situation, the first thing that you have to keep in mind is that you need to remain calm. People who are rattled or nervous when handling emergency situations might not be able to provide the proper assistance. Such could lead to the victim being put in more danger.

Before you attend to the victim, make sure you already have someone calling 911, or the emergency number in your area. This would ensure that help is on the way. Keep in mind that you cannot do everything by yourself. Make use of the people and bystanders around you in order to ensure the life of the victim.

You would need to ascertain if the victim is responsive or not. This is typically done by tapping the victim on both shoulders and saying, “Hey, hey, are you okay?”. If the victim is able to respond, make sure that he or she is calm. Look for any possible bleeding sites. It would also be a good idea to check if the pulse is steady. Keep the victim lying down until help arrives. On the other hand, if you have determined that the victim us unresponsive and is not breathing, make sure that you have him or her flat on his back. Loosen his or her clothing and start administering CPR. Check Start administering chest compressions and then check the airway for any obstruction. Administer breaths if needed. Continue the cycle until the paramedics arrive or if you get tired. If possible, make use of an AED in order to administer electric current to the heart and restore normal beating pattern.

In the off chance that you are not familiar with how CPR is done, start with chest compressions. The only thing that you would have to keep in mind is that, when it comes to chest compressions, you would need to administer at least 100 compressions in a minute. Each compression should be 5 cm in depth. Keep in mind that these compressions should be done two inches above the point where the sternum ends. Do not compress directly into the heart as this might cause the ribs to break. Broken ribs can cause splinter to nick vital arteries and veins in the heart. Just like in the former situation, the presence of an AED can also help you do the whole CPR procedure without breaking a sweat. It can also help restore the correct beating pattern to the heart.

The best way to respond to arm yourself with knowledge of how to respond to emergency cases would be to undergo needed CPR training and certification program. Citywide CPR happens to be one of the most notable providers of such service.

If you would ask a passerby what comes to their mind when they hear the letters, “CPR”, they would probably tell you that it conjures images of a man lying down unconscious and another doing chest compressions on the former. In truth, however, CPR is not something that can only be done on human. In a number of instances, it has also proven to be of great help in saving the lives of animals.

If you would recall, just last September,Mei Xang, a female giant panda successfully gave birth to a cub. Unfortunately, for no apparent reason, the said cub died more than a week after. The death, however, was not one where the staff did not do anything. In fact, upon hearing a sound from the mother bear that sounded like a call for help, the staff immediately checked on the mother and daughter. Upon seeing the condition of the cub, CPR was administered in order to save the cub’s life.

So how was the CPR done?

It may come as a surprise but CPR for animals is done similarly to that in humans. However, this is not done to any kind of animal. The CPR procedure being done for human victims can only be applied to animals that have a similarly shaped body. This is because the shape that we have makes it possible to directly compress the heart causing artificial blood circulation. A modified form of this can also be done in dogs and cats where indirect chest compression applied from the sides is more appropriate. The number of compressions that need to be done stays the same for dogs or for animals with the same body shape as humans. This is even though dogs tend to have a higher resting heart rate compared to humans. If you would be doing chest compressions in animals and do not know how to set the pace, your best move would be to time it with the beat in the song, “Staying Alive”. By doing so, the heart gets refilled with blood.

CPR for animals, especially dogs and cats, would also require the administration of artificial respiration. However, if you would need to do this on your pet, you have to make sure that you close the mouth and breathe through the nose. Breath should be given until the side of the chest rises. If there is no change in the chest cavity, squeeze the abdominal part in order to dislodge any material blocking the airway. You can also physically check if there is any obstruction on the airway. You need to repeat the chest compressions, checking of the airway , and the administration of artificial respiration until the animal concerned regains consciousness. Make sure that while you are doing this, someone is either calling a medical professional or driving you to a veterinary clinic.

Whether you are doing animal CPR or CPR on human, it is still to your best interest if you would familiarize yourself with how the said life-saving process is done. You can do this by undertaking the CPR training and certification being offered by Citywide CPR.

In today’s world, it pays to know how to administer CPR or, at the very least, make use of an AED. This is because, in the fast-paced way of life that we have right now, pressure and stress could get to just about anyone. But what exactly happens during a CPR Certification program?

In order to be a certified first aider, one of the things that you would need to have is a certification that you have undergone and passed a CPR training program.

In typical cases, a CPR training lasts for about 6 to 8 hours with the number of hours varying widely depending on the kind of training that you want to have – basic, advanced, adult, or infant CPR. Courses could also include CPR alone or sessions that also involve the use of AED.

In basic CPR, students get to learn the different signs of choking as well as the different ways of responding to such situations. The basic CPR training also teaches students what the proper position is for a victim who is in recovery as well as what the symptoms are for cardiac arrest.

On the other hand, an advanced CPR training typically touches on the application of CPR to children as well as infant. There are also some providers who would also teach you how to administer CPR in specialized cases.

Once you have undergone the training part, you would be subjected to a test that will assess your readiness when it comes to administering CPR. The test typically comes in two parts -a written test and a skill test. The written test usually comes in the form of multiple questions. This is to assess whether you fully understand when a CPR should be administered and how you should handle various situations. The skill test, on the other hand, is a hands-on exam.  You would be provided a dummy on which you would be applying what you have learned about CPR. The instructor would observe how familiar you are with the administration of breaths and chest compression, your form, and your timing. How you apply what you have learned would also be taken into consideration by the instructor. This is typically done on a one-on-one basis to ensure that you are calm and focused during the testing process.

In most cases, CPR certifications last for one year. Renewal of the certification typically calls for a retake of both the written exam as well as the skills test. This is to ensure that your knowledge about CPR is kept current.

Although during emergency situations anyone can jump in in order to administer CPR, it is still a good thing to make sure that you undergo CPR training and certification first. This is to ensure that, should a situation call for it, you can confidently provide your skill when it comes to saving a life.

If you feel that you are ready to take on a CPR training and certification program, visit Citywide CPR.

Most people associate first aid with having to administer CPR. Although most cases would not require CPR, it would still be to a person’s advantage if he or she knows how to perform CPR. If you are one of those who are raring to understand what CPR is about and how you can use it in order to save a person’s life, there are some things that you might want to keep in mind first.

CPR, which stands for Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, is not something that you actually need to do every time a person suffers a heart problem. CPR could only be administered if the patient is suffering from cardiac arrest. So how is cardiac arrest different from a heart attack? In a cardiac arrest, the blood stops circulating because heart fails to contract effectively. On the other hand, in a heart attack situation, the coronary artery gets blocked which leads to insufficient blood flow to a specific part of the heart muscle. Simply put, in a heart attack, only a certain part of the heart muscle dies as opposed to the whole heart dying which takes place in a cardiac arrest. While the former could be addressed by a heart surgery, the latter, if not attended to immediately, typically leads to death.

In a cardiac arrest situation, the person attending to the victim would first have to make sure that the latter lays flat on his or her back. You would need to check first for pulse and breathing as well as consciousness in order to assess if a CPR is needed. There are four recognized methods of administering CPR – the standard method, the compression only method, the method for pregnant patients, and specialized methods such as interposed abdominal compressions and  internal cardiac massage. The standard CPR usually follows the pattern C-A-B. That being the case, chest compression as well as artificial respiration is administered to the patient. This is unlike the compression-only method where, as the name implies,  there is no more need to administer artificial respiration. Compression-only CPR is very much recommended, and is highly suitable, for lay persons who do not have any training in CPR. With the compression-only method, the first aider would only need to focus on providing 100 compressions per minute with each compression going as deep as 5cm.

CPR for pregnant women, on the other hand, would require an additional step. That is, the first aider would need to push the uterus to the left side in order to prevent it from compressing the inferior vena cava while lying down.

For most people who are unsure of how CPR should be done, they can always rely on an AED, Automated External Defibrillator. This device is used in order to administer electrical shocks that could help normalize the beating pattern of the heart. Units also comes with verbal as well as visual instructions on how the CPR should be done as well as how to use the AED.

Learn more about CPR and AED by attending Citywide CPR’s CPR training and certification program.