Cardiac Arrest, more commonly known as heart attack, is a medical condition that can be likened to a thief in the night – it comes when you least expect it. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease, including irregular heart beat, is the top cause of death in the US. Each year, there are about 800,000 survivors of heart attack. However, there are still more than 200,000 people who suffer from heart attack and other heart-related problems who die because of it, including more than a hundred thousand people who meet their death even before they were able to get to a hospital. These figures highlight even more the need for someone to know CPR as well as how to use basic AED.

Most cardiac arrests comes as a result of ventricular fibrillation. This medical condition tends to be life threatening as uncoordinated contraction of the ventricles causes the heart to quiver instead of contract. Of course, this has an effect on the flow of blood throughout the body.This is where the AED comes in.

AED stands for Automated External Defibrillator. It is a portable electronic device that is commonly used by first responders when it comes to diagnosing whether the patient has a cardiac arrhythmia. It is user-friendly with lay men able to use it even if they have very little to no training with the said device at all. As a defibrillator, an AED is able to restore normal rhythm to the heart. Unfortunately, not many people know how to use an AED device; added to that is the fact that AED devices tend to be costly. Fortunately, the latter can easily be solved by sharing the amount among members of a group. So how does one use an Automated External Defibrillator?

Before you make use of an AED you have to keep a few things in mind. First, you have to confirm if the patient is actually unconscious. Once done, check for pulse and breathing. If you cannot ascertain how long the person has been unconscious, administer first CPR before proceeding to the use of AED. If, on the other hand, you are quite sure that only  a few minutes have passed since the person has become unconscious, you can immediately use am AED. Now, when using an AED, make sure that the patient in a dry area. Open the victim’s upper clothing so that the chest area is exposed. Make sure that the chest area is dry. One pad should go to the center part of the chest above the nipple while the other should be on the left side below the nipple. Check for medication pads, piercings, and medical devices. Remove the patches and piercings, and make sure that the pads are at least an inch away from the implanted devices. Turn on the AED and follow the voice prompts. If the device keeps asking you to check the electrodes, see if the pads are making good contact with the skin.

Using an AED and learning CPR is now easy as institutions like Citywide CPR are able to provide CPR Training and AED Program Management. Visit our web site for more information.

It seems so simple. You come across someone suffering from a cardiac arrest. You get down on your knees and start compressing the patient’s chests. You are thinking that the harder you make the compressions, the more likely the victim would be able to pull through. Or is it?

Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, or more commonly known as CPR, is considered to be one of the most effective way by which a person suffering from cardiac arrest may be able to recover. In the past, CPR usually involved, compressions, checking of the airway, and breathing. In 2010, however, guidelines on how a CPR should be carried was updated by both the American Heart Association as well as the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation. Instead of the typical ABC (Airway, Breathing, Compression), a CPR now starts with Chest Compressions, followed by Airway, and then Breathing. The only time that the ABC model is followed is when the patient concerned happens to be newborns as well as those who are suffering from respiratory arrest brought about by drowning for example.

Unfortunately, not only do most of the public have no idea about the shift from ABC to CAB, they are also misinformed about how CPR is performed. For one, not many people are aware that there is actually a specific point where you can do the compressions. Most people actually believe that compressions had to be done on top of the heart. In some cases, they do not compress deep enough, thinking that doing the compressions fast would make up for the lack of depth. This is probably the reason why a research conducted by Korean researchers have shown that, out of 71 patients, around 20 would suffer from broken ribs while about 15 would have multiple bone breaks. The same study also showed that, while 1 out of 3 patients attended to by paramedics sustained broken ribs, there was 1 in every 3 patients who suffered from broken bones after a lay person administered CPR on them. Of course, there are also other factors to consider when it comes to the persistence of broken bones in patients receiving CPR, aside from the inexperience or lack of training of the person administering the CPR.

One of the factors that could have played a part on the persistence of broken bones is the condition of the bones themselves. If the patient is suffering from osteoporosis, there is a great risk for the bones breaking especially when pressure is applied. There is credence to this as there is a higher incidence of bone fracture in women than in men, the former being more prone to osteoporosis.

The results of this study, however, should not dampen one’s resolve to learn CPR. After all, what’s a few broken bones if it allows the person to live a little longer?

If you are intent on pursing your CPR training and certification, there are a number of programs that you can take advantage of online.

You’ve seen it in TV shows, and maybe even in movies – a brilliant but misunderstood woman pushed to the limits of her sanity decides to end it all by jumping into the ocean. Suddenly, a handsome guy comes running to save her from the crashing waves only to find the girl unconscious after having drowned form the crashing waves of water. The guy performs CPR very fast in the hopes of getting her to breathe again as soon as possible. This might be a great story for many; but in real life, this could actually spell disaster.

A new study from Belgium has found out that making very fast compressions during CPR actually does not do much help and could even be dangerous. The study was spearheaded by Dr. Koenraad Monsieurs of the Antwerp University. In order to come up with the results, Dr. Monsieurs and his colleagues made use of an accelerometer as a way to gauge the rate of chest compression as well as the depth of each. About 130 health care professionals where observed as part of this study. Some of the subjects who made about 145 compressions per minute had very shallow depths that were deemed to be unacceptable based on the 2005 European standards when it comes to CPR.

Based on the results, compressions of about 145 per minute results to a 4 cm shallower depth. This, of course, translates to lesser amount of blood flowing through the heart and the brain. You have to keep in mind that the lesser the amount of blood going to the heart and the brain, the higher the possibility of the patient suffering from dire consequences. Aside from this, the more blood there is flowing through the heart, the higher the possibility that the defibrillator would be able to jumpstart the beating if the heart.

Medical doctors and other professionals, however, do not recommend slowing down and making each compression deeper. The secret is to make sure that the compressions are delivered in a fast yet deeper manner. The delivery of the compressions should also be one wherein the responder does not get tired easily. Keep in mind that, when it comes to CPRs, the compressions and breathing should be delivered in a consistent manner. Otherwise, not only would the process be time consuming but it could also lead to adverse effects.

Current standards on CPR no longer calls for rescue breaths especially if only a bystander is near the patient. Instead, bystanders who would be performing CPR can concentrate on compressions only and just wait for emergency responders to arrive. Once the responders get to the patient, they can proceed to either defibrillating the patient or continuing with the compressions. If the bystander happens to have knowledge about CPR, he has to make sure that he starts with the compressions before addressing the airway as well as the breathing. This ensures that oxygen-rich blood is able to circulate immediately. Simply put, resuscitating a heart attack victim would call for C-A-B (Compression – Airway – Breathing) instead of the traditional A-B-C.

One way to ensure that you are doing things correctly is to undergo a CPR Training and Certification program.

Heart attacks, or cardiac arrest, can happen anytime. One moment you are enjoying a nice meal, the next, you are having a hard time breathing. For most people, recognizing the signs of a heart attack can be easy. For some, however, hear attacks can come sneaking in that they have very little time to alert those around them. What happens if that person, unfortunately, only has his middle school children around?

There is no such thing as being too early when it comes to teaching your child the basics of how to do a CPR and how to act during emergency cases. And now, with the help of medical students from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, middle school children would be able to know what to do in cases of emergency.

The six-minute video presents the students with plausible scenarios that could happen to an adult around them. The videos also show the students how a CPR is performed as well as how to use an AED should a person suffer a heart attack.

According to recent surveys and studies, almost 400,000 Americans suffer from cardiac arrest while they are outside of a medical facility each year. In most cases, they are at home and are around their family, especially children, when that happens.

That being the case, it is only right that even children as young as 12 be taught what to do when they encounter someone having a heart attack. This was the same reason why Dr. Amer Aldeen, the assistant professor for emergency medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, said yes to overseeing the video project and co-founding CCARES. CCARES stands for Chicago Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation Education Service.

Aside from the video, medical students from the said institution would be conducting visits to Chicago-based schools in order to answer any questions the students might have about CPR once they have seen the video.

This video is free for download online and can be used by teachers in order to teach children at least 12 years of age how to perform CPR.   One has to keep in mind that, at 12 years old, a child can already retain learning and make use of it when the situation necessitates. If the child cannot carry out the CPR, at least he or she can have an adult conduct the said emergency procedure.

The video training program comes in time for the signing of the Illinois House Bill 5114. The said bill included the video training program as part of the safety education that students in Grades 6 to 8 should undergo. Students are also encouraged to have their parents learn also more about how to conduct CPR as well as handle AEDs.

looking at it at a long-term, CCARES is also planning to release a video meant specifically for adults as well as a video translated to other popular languages such as Spanish.

If you want to undergo a professional CPR Training or undergo an AED Program Management, then visit the website of Citywide CPR.

Known as the authority and the national training site for all first aid training, Citywide CPR Inc. is also offering their CPR training via the Internet. In partnership with the American Heart Association, Emergency Care and Safety Institute, and the American Safety and Health Institute, Citywide CPR is the authorized provider of all healthcare and first air training programs needed to set the bar higher for employee competency in the medical industry.

Taking first aid training to a whole new level, Citywide CPR has launched their services on the Internet for an eLearning program which are meant for those who have hectic schedule and do not have the luxury of time to attend the traditional classroom sessions. Though eLearning CPR course will only take place on the web, one simply cannot look down on these classes as the level of learning is just as the same with classroom setups. A CPR student on the web will be able to learn everything a classroom student will know it’s just that the two differ in setting. Citywide CPR Inc.’s eLearning program will include a web-based learning session, interactive practical classes, and testing sessions with a skilled instructor from the American Heart Association. Upon the completion of the training course, the American Heart Association together with the Citywide CPR Inc. will endorse the student for a Heart Saver Completion Card.

AHA and Citywide CPR are in full force with the commitment of reducing the number of deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases and strokes. They are dedicated to provide healthcare and first aid competency to healthcare professionals such as nurses and nurses’ aides in all corners of the United States. Aside from professionals, they are also encouraging civilians to equip themselves with the knowledge in CPR for they do not know when will there be a need for CPR in case someone in the area stops breathing and there is no healthcare facility near the area.

Apart from training programs and certifications with focus on CPR, BLS, ACLS, PALS, and OSHA, they are also offering AED training, certification and servicing which is collectively known as the AED Program management which focal point is on the upkeep and monitoring of all AED units in the country, training AED operators and making sure that there is a nearby AED to be of rescue to emergency situations.

At a fraction of the usual cost, Citywide CPR Inc. can provide all healthcare facilities, professionals and non-professionals with the adequate training needed to become competitive, assertive and alert in all situations.

Saving a life does not happen merely by accident, in fact, people who have saved lives would not be able to save a dying person if it weren’t for their knowledge about CPR and first aid. Whether they have watched it on movies or videos or have read in a book, knowledge in proper CPR is indispensable these days for you will never know when someone will need your help in surviving cardiac or asthma attacks.

Do you want to get professional CPR Training or avail an AED Program Management? Visit Citywide CPR’s website.

Time and again, many doctors call the automated external defibrillator as the ultimate miracles that save the lives of people cardiac arrest patients. Technically speaking, the AED can do just that but this device is a very delicate one that requires proper upkeep and monitoring. Though consider as an electronic lifesaver, did you know that many people have already lost lives because of faulty wirings. It is such a disheartening reality to know that the malfunctioning of a device which is invented to save lives will be the cause of death of many cardiac arrest patients. What ought to be a miracle medical device marked the death of many people due to improper and insufficient maintenance.

According to the most recent news announced by the New York Times, almost a dozen of people has died due to AEDs that short circuited. What many people do not know is that short circuits are one of the most common problems among heart defibrillators. There were also some cases of defective wires that are running defibrillator. This news is especially devastating especially when defibrillators have been looked up to as effective devices that have the potency of saving lives by applying the needed pressure to revive a heart that has stopped from breathing.

The problem with AEDs is not its efficacy, but the maintenance treatment that it needs which it is not given. AEDs are one of those medical devices which are not always good-to-go. From time to time, medical technologists’ advice people and institutions who own AED to have their machines checked for calibration as well as for licensing. It is such as shame to keep up the hopes of people with a device intended to save lives but falls short on the mere purpose that it is expected to deliver.

Due to this very alarming issue, the American Heart Association has issued rules and regulations for the proper upkeep of all automated external defibrillators across the country. AHA is a non-profit organization that fosters and assures appropriate cardiac care to lessen the rate of stability and deaths caused by cardiac arrests and stroke in the United States. It implements programs in order to build healthier lives free from heart diseases and stroke. However, since this condition is a normal occurrence today, what the agency is after is to guarantee that there will be safety measures that can save a cardiac arrest patient at all times. For this reason, AHA has amended the general guidelines on conducting CPR as well as implementing  directive to have all AED units in the country inspected, located and monitored at all times. To do this, they have tied up with Citywide CPR in a partnership in an attempt to educate medical practitioners, assistants and even civilians regarding the fundamentals of first aid.

In this mission, the part of the Citywide CPR is to be the trusted national training site that shall provide all the needed lectures, courses, training, certification, monitoring and licensing of all things related to first aid. Available in both traditional and online classes, Citywide CPR offers CPR, BLS, ACLS, PALS, and OSHA training. As for the monitoring of AEDs as suggested by AHA above, they also have an AED Program Management service that provides a holistic approach on the monitoring and licensing of all defibrillators.

To know more about AED Medical Direction Oversight as well as the AED Program Management offered by Citywide CPR, feel free to visit their site.

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillator are two lifesavers which are different in many ways. The former is a manual approach in an attempt to bring back the heartbeat of an individual who stopped breathing by applying force through chest pumps while the latter makes use of an electronic device in calculating the needed force and renders the shock to revive normal rhythmic heartbeat. However very different, the aim of the two is very similar and that is to save lives when an individual stops breathing due to a cardiac arrest or asthma attack.
According to medical and technological experts, since the AED is the more advanced method of bringing back the heartbeat, it must be utilized the moment that patient is attacked. However, if the sudden arrest does not respond to the shock given by the Automated External Defibrillator, CPR must be immediately provided to the patient to improve the survival.

Researchers have found out that instead of spending time analyzing why the AED would not start or looking for an available AED in the area, CPR through chest compressions and pumps should be the immediate call to action. This will improve the return of spontaneous circulation and one-year survival. Furthermore, they have come up with the conclusion that there is a 54% survival rate if a patient receives immediate chest pumps. This proves the better neurological outcomes compared to those patients who have received CPR with pauses for ventilation. Chest pumps are very powerful practices that can save lives immediately. In fact, the American Heart Association have passed a directive and a guidelines to medical practitioners as well as to civilians that in emergencies, chest pumps must be the first mode of first aid and not mouth-to-mouth resuscitation which is also an effective way to encourage bystanders to help.

Despite the great advancements in technology such as the Automated External Defibrillator, no one can deny the great power of urgency in providing CPR as first aid. The highly-advanced technological medical devices will be of no use if there will be no one to operate them or if there is no available CPR immediately.

For this concern, the American Heart Association together with the US government has come up with a campaign that’s hall target the two emergency problems faced today: the maintenance of a properly-working AED in every area and the availability and knowledge for conducting CPR. They have instigated the Citywide CPR, a company based in Chicago, IL to be the national training site and the official partner of AHA in providing training classes, seminars and licensing and certification to all AEDs in the entire country to guarantee that it is working properly and well maintained for the use of a patient anytime anywhere. Also, they will be conducting courses that shall educate and train medical professionals and civilians alike in order for them to have the knowledge and skills to conduct CPR.

Citywide CPR is at forefront and taking the lead together with AHA in offering all first aid measures such as BLS, CPR, ACLS, PALS, and OSHA Training and Certification and AED Training, Certification, and Servicing.

Do you want to get professional CPR Training or avail an AED Program Management Service? Visit Citywide CPR’s website.

The American Heart Association is striving to make the world a better place by equipping the general public with the knowledge on how to save a life in cases of asthma or cardiac arrests. Its goal is to promote an advocacy and an awareness that life is precious and one minute of negligence can lead to the death of many. Every year, the number goes up and AHA simply wants to reduce the number of people who die on the streets or inside their homes due to cardiac or asthma attack just because no one was there to save them or if there is someone there but do not know how to do CPR.

CPR is very important. When seen on TV or in the movies, CPR looks simple and uncomplicated. Many people think that it is to just pound on the chest till the breathing resuscitates. However, there is a right way to do CPR and that is what the American Heart Association wants everybody to learn. Together with its national partner and as the national training site of first aid programs Citywide CPR, they are encouraging people to join this cause of having the right skills and the adequate training even if not all of us are medical experts. This is because when times get rough and there is no medical professional around, the only thing a patient can rely on are the people around him. To some people that is trivial, but to the patient, getting his life saved by a total stranger means the world to him.

In line with this, the guidelines for conducting CPR have changed over the years. In fact, American Heart Association has updated this and announced that there is no need for mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and CPR can be done just as well and as effective with hands-only chest pumps. This is also to promote accessibility among the people in the environment to offer a hand knowing that they do not need to make mouth-to-mouth contact with a patient they do not know.

Here are the three approved methods that the American Heart Association is implementing and its partner, Citywide CPR has included in its first aid trainings and classes:

• Hands-only CPR – This involved manually pumping the chest with one palm over another but the hand above is closed tightly on the hand below to initiate force and pressure. This helps manually revived the beating of the heart of a person who had a sudden cardiac arrest.
• Mouth-to-mouth CPR – As mentioned above, this is not required any longer since hands-only CPR works, but for people who do not mind and if there is a need to breathe into the mouth of the patient, this will help bring back oxygen into the lungs which can revive the breathing of the patient.
• AED-assisted CPR – This kind of CPR is done when there is an automated external defibrillator (AED) available in the area. This machine calculates the severity of the attack and comes up with the sufficient pressure that it needs to relay it electronically and bring back the rhythm of breathing again.

Learn all about these CPR methods with the traditional and online classes from Citywide CPR.

If you wish to take a class, take a look at the Citywide CPR Training and Certification available in your area.

Citywide CPR’s training programs for first aid are spreading fast as a form of implementation of educating the general public about hands-only CPR. This group is based in Chicago, IL but is targeting all medical professionals and civilians all over the country. In cooperation with the American Heart Association and the US Government, Citywide CPR is dedicated to provide the right treatments to people who need CPR and other first aid measures.

According to statistics, hundreds of thousands of Americans die every day due to undiagnosed heart diseases which only comes front when the victim already experiences shortness in breathing. Although a huge percentage of these people are saved through CPR because of luck that someone around the accident area knows CPR, some patients were not so fortunate to be saved by people who knows CPR and are willing to help. With that, the American Heart Association as well as the government saw that there is a dire need of CPR awareness in the United States. Also, since some people hesitate to offer help to people who suddenly stopped breathing because they do not want to do mount-to-mouth resuscitation to a stranger, AHA has revised the guidelines for CPR which makes it now exclusive to chest pumps and no mouth-to-mouth contact. This way, more bystanders will offer to give help to a road emergency.

Alan Lermer of Citywide CPR added that many patients die on the spot even if there is a nearby hospital because of insufficient first aid facilities. This is a very severe case because cardiac or asthma attack patients need the speediest help possible as soon as they stop breathing. The faster the first aid comes, the better chances that they will be revived. Likewise, if there is no available first aid help, then there is a big chance of losing the life of a patient. This has happened a lot and continues to happen until now. Which is why, Citywide CPR invites all concerned citizens to take various first aid programs.

Citywide CPR is offering various programs such as OSHA training, advanced cardiac life support, AED certification, CPR certification, AED-CPR, BLS certification, ACLS certification, PALS certification, first aid training, and others. Many of their programs are available online if there is no traditional classes yet available near your location. However, Citywide CPR is extending their arms to have more traditional classes available all throughout United States in order for the training to be more demonstrative, interactive and intensive.

Basically everyone is invited to take first aid training classes even those who are not medical professionals. After all, it is always special and important to be able to help someone’s life. Sure, doing CPR to someone you do not know is not a job that will make you rich, but it will definitely be overwhelming and fulfilling to know that when someone was almost on the jaws of death and is fighting for their lives, you were there to save them because you have the training and the heart to do so.

If you are interested in taking CPR Training and Certification with Citywide CPR, take a look at our schedules and centers near you.

What if someone near you suddenly collapsed and stopped breathing? Do you just call 911 or you try to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) yourself? According to the American Heart Association in United States, many people are hesitating to save a person who just stopped breathing because they cannot submit themselves to having mouth-to-mouth contact to a complete stranger. For that reason, the American Heart Association has revised the guidelines on CPR and says that mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is not needed or required anymore and that chest pumps will do. This is to encourage more people to stand out of the crowd and help a person bring back his breathing even though he or she is a total stranger.

Though this is something you think will never happen to you, did you know that 300,000 people experience sudden heart attack every year? What if you are one of the people who are with these 300,000 people by the time they stop breathing? Can you dare witness a death without doing anything about it? Performing CPR helps a person restore breathing while the paramedics are still on their way and medical help is not yet available. More so, performing CPR will double and even triple the chances of a person surviving from a heart attack.

For these valuable reasons, the American Heart Association is encouraging both medical professionals and civilians alike to learn CPR. If one knows how to conduct CPR, he can save lives in just thirty to sixty seconds! To reach this goal, the American Heart Association is working on a nationwide campaign to spread awareness on the importance of knowing basic first aid measures through CPR. On a deeper and more professional scope, the agency is also requiring healthcare employees to undergo CPR training from Citywide CPR. Citywide CPR is the official training site of the American Heart Association, Emergency Care and Safety Institute, and American Safety and Health Institute. Citywide CPR is also a government-trusted entity for their comprehensive traditional and online classes for everything first aid.

Citywide CPR is offering the following services for first aid:

• BLS, CPR, AED & First Aid Certification
• AED Training, Certification & Servicing
• ACLS & PALS Certification
• OSHA Training and Certification

Citywide CPR is the one-stop solution for all first aid training and certification. They have both traditional and online classes that will fit both schedules of working, studying or stay-at-home individuals who wanted to register for a class.

Citywide CPR is headquartered in the metropolitan area of Chicago. They have been the official partner of the American Heart Associations for twenty years in training and honing highly-competitive and qualified medical professionals who can work with alertness, ease and knowledge.

True to their motto of building healthier lives free from cardiovascular diseases and stroke, Citywide CPR is dedicated to customer service superiority, qualified trainers and comprehensive classes.

If you are interested in taking CPR Training and Certification with Citywide CPR, take a look at our schedules and centers near you.