First aid practices should be taught to individuals. It may not be on top of training courses that most people take up, but it cannot be denied that knowing how to administer one makes a big difference. One of the many causes of death during an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is the failure to administer CPR right away.

The American Heart Association through various scientific works have made significant contributions to further improve CPR. In the 2010 version of AHA’s guidelines for CPR, there have been several changes to further encourage bystanders to perform CPR.

For almost 50 years, the ABC approach has been widely upheld. ABC stands for Airway-Breathing-Compression, this focuses on the importance of providing respiration to the cardiac arrest victim. However, studies have shown that giving out two full breaths to the affected patient delays the blood flow for almost 20 seconds, significantly reducing the victim’s survival rate. With the newest guidelines, the ABC approach has been revised to CAB approach. This stands for Compression-Airway-Breathing, that focuses on supplying the vital organs with the much-needed oxygenated blood. Through this, the AHA aims to encourage more bystanders, even those who do not have training on CPR to administer the first aid compressions when needed.

True enough, hands-only CPR do not need a significant amount of expertise to do. It follows the same procedure that begins with recognition or assessment. In this stage, the rescuer must check for signs to see if a patient is in need of CPR. In the latest guidelines, the rescuer must not take too much time with checking if the patient has no pulse or is not breathing. Instead, briefly check for his or her breathing and then proceed with CPR right away. In fact, checking for pulse should not last longer than 10 seconds, as the delay of blood flow plays a crucial role on the chances of survival of the victim. If you see that the victim is gasping or is having a hard time breathing, consider the patient a cardiac arrest victim.

It is vital that personnel as well as training programs have a choreographed and systemized way of administering CPR. With the CAB approach in mind, the rescuer must compress with a depth of at least 2 inches or 5 cm. It is important to remember that the rescuer must let the chest completely recoil before starting on another cycle of compression. After 30 sets of compression, proceed with giving two full breaths on the victim, then return to giving compressions. The rescuer must be able to give at least 100 compressions within a minute. Due to the strength that giving CPR requires, the task can be exhausting and this is why having two rescuers replace each other from time to time is highly encouraged. This is to ensure that the cardiac arrest victim receives high quality compressions while minimizing the amount of delays that can only hinder the success rate of CPR itself.

Until professional help arrives, CPR must be continued to ensure that the vital organs of the victim are sufficiently supplied with the much needed blood. CPR saves lives indeed, and giving out CPR even with just compression is better than not giving compression at all.

One of the leading causes of death in the world is sudden cardiac arrest. This medical condition can happen to anyone at any time, no matter the place. This is one reason why more and more efforts are being done by organizations to promote awareness on this matter. Knowledge on basic first aid as well as the proper use of equipment available can be the difference between life and death.

Cardiac arrest causes the heart to beat erratically, a rhythm that the heart cannot keep up with. After a while, the heart stops pumping blood, rendering the victim unconscious. By keeping this in mind, the public would know the symptoms of a cardiac arrest victim: unconscious, irregular breathing and pulseless. Some people tend to check for pulse, but in general, it is safe to assume that you cannot find one since there are cases in which a cardiac arrest patient can have no pulse. Once you see an unconscious victim with difficulty in breathing, assume the need for CPR right away.

There is a reason why training courses incorporate lessons on CPR and AED with each other. Without an AED present, CPR can help buy the victim some more time while professional help arrives. By doing CPR, the vital organs can still receive at least the minimum requirement of oxygenated blood. The longer the patient is deprived of CPR, the lesser the chances he or she has for survival. In fact, even if he or she survives, the brain damage can be significant due to the lack of blood at the time of the arrest. CPR is the first aid procedure, just like how putting antiseptic to the wound helps prevent infection; however, only an AED can help restore the heart’s normal rhythm.

This is where the knowledge of how cardiac arrest occurs in the first place can be handy. Perhaps, you have seen it on TV, the doctors yelling “Clear!” and then a shock will run through the pads to the victim’s body. This is no longer just a hospital scene. It is important to understand that AEDs should have a rhythm to restore in the first place. It cannot magically revive a patient with a straight line. By giving just enough amount of electricity, the heart can have its normal rhythm back.

Fortunately, using an AED is much simpler than it used to be operated before. Now, even people who have minimal training on how to use it can properly administer a shock. The instructions are being given out by the machine of the portable AED and the rescuer just have to closely follow them. Administering shock right away can possibly save a life and significantly reduce the chances of suffering from permanent damage to the brain and other vital organs.

If only the general public are well-aware of how deadly a cardiac arrest is and how real it is, people would pay more attention to learning CPR and AED. It is one thing when a complete stranger suffers from cardiac arrest but another matter entirely when it is one of yours. It is never too late to start learning CPR and how to use AED for it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Sudden cardiac arrest remains on the list causes of death that disregards age. Although it is very rare, cardiac arrest on children is still occurring. This is why it is important that everyone know what happens in the heart during a cardiac arrest.

Cardiac Arrest Explained

The heart is an undeniably vital organ of the body. It is responsible for pumping blood all throughout the body. Since the beginning, the heart pumps blood and it will continue to do so until a person is clinically dead. What can be the cause of it prematurely failing?

What allows the heart to beat in the first place are the pacemaker cells in the upper chamber, also known as the atrium, of the heart. These pacemakers give out just the right amount of jolts in the heart to produce a regular beat. This very process keeps the heart beating and can be disrupted in many ways. A trauma or a sudden disturbance to this process can prevent the pacemakers to do its job. These cells that give out sparks will be immediately replaced by other cells in a hasty attempt to make the heart resume its beating. What happens next is a chaotic phenomenon of multiple cells jolting the heart in all places—both appropriate and not—that can cause erratic beating. This is the onset of a cardiac arrest. Soon, the heart muscle will not be able to provide the vital organs, including itself, with oxygenated blood that they need to function. If this is prolonged, it can either cause serious vital organ damage and even death.

Cardiac Arrest on Children

It is saddening to know that cardiac arrest knows no age when it strikes. Cardiac arrest happens in kids just as well, but with different causes. Most of the time, those who are affected have inherited heart conditions that increases the chances of a sudden cardiac arrest.

Children who are born with thick ventricle walls can experience chest pains during exercise. Due to the thicker walls, the pumping chamber of the heart is allowed lesser space. In turn, to properly supply the body with the much-needed blood, the heart has to work extra hard. The heart that works double pace during regular activities has to step up its plate during exercise. Decrease in blood flow can cause irritation to the heart muscle and start a cardiac arrest.

Another hereditary heart condition on children is the misplaced coronary arteries. What is supposed to lie on the surface of the heart, is situated right into the muscle of the heart. In this condition, these arteries can be blocked when the heart muscle squeezes extra hard due to a physically-demanding activity such as exercise.

It is a matter of importance therefore that children undergo all the necessary tests to identify possible hereditary conditions. Also, pre-screening for athletic activities are highly encouraged to prevent sudden cardiac arrest from occurring.

Since there is still no way of knowing when a cardiac arrest can happen, it is vital that knowledge of CPR and AED is acquired by the general public. It is never too late to know how to administer these first aid practices.

Accidents do happen and no matter how far-fetched the idea is; they simply can strike at any moment. Besides, accidents are not just man-made, it can also be a natural-occurring phenomenon that can pose threats to the lives of the people who are experiencing it.

Since there are only limited ways in gauging when accidents can occur, it is important to know the basic first aid practices that can save a person’s life. In general, the principle of first aid procedures follow the DRSABCD steps. DRSABCD stands for danger, response, send for help, airway, breathing, CPR and defibrillator. This approach helps increase the chances of survival of the patient as well as ensure the safety of the rescuers.

When arriving into the scene, the first step to do is to identify possible dangers within the area. If the accident area includes a car-crash situation that is yet to be managed. Quickly yet carefully move the victim in a much safer area. The safety of the victim, bystanders including the rescuer is always a priority.

Once safety is ensured check if the victim is conscious or aware. If the victim is not responsive to questions or even touch, the rescuers must get ready to administer the necessary first aid procedure. It is important that someone call for help while the victim is being assessed. This way, the waiting period for professional help would be cut shorter.

As part of the assessment, the rescuer must check if the victim is breathing or not. If the rescuer sees chest movement but there is a blockage on the airway of the victim, it should be cleared right away.  Also, if the victim is breathing but is unconscious, turn him or her to the side while making sure that his or her head, neck and spine are aligned. Monitor the victim’s breathing until he or she is turned over to a medical personnel.

If the victim is unconscious and shows no signs of breathing as well, the rescuer must assume the need for CPR. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation or CPR is the series of compressions over the victim’s chest to manually keep the blood flowing. Due to its importance, the American Heart Association encourages the general public to learn how to administer CPR, even the hands-only CPR method to decrease the death rate for sudden cardiac arrest. The rescuer must give out 100 compressions in a minute with at least 2 inches’ depth. This rate and depth is approved by the AHA so as to provide quality compressions to effectively supply the vital organs with blood until professional help arrives. The hands-only CPR method is widely promoted to encourage more bystanders to take action in the face if a sudden cardiac arrest situation. However, some emphasizes that the ratio of 30:2 for compressions and breathing respectively is still more effective. Either way, it is important that bystanders do CPR whether hands-only or with breathing to minimize the damaging effects of lack haltered blood supply.

If an AED is readily available, this can help restore the rhythm of the heart through series of jolts. Although CPR can help maintain the beating the heart, only AEDs can help bring back its natural rhythm so it would properly work once again.

It is always better to be ready than sorry during an accident. There is no way of knowing who will be affected in these situations. Learning CPR and other basic first aid practices can be vital.

Knowing how to properly administer CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation can be vital not only to rescue personnel such as nurses, firemen, policemen, lifeguards and others, but also to a regular citizen. This is due to the inability to detect when a cardiac arrest incident can happen.

What is CPR?

CPR is one of the first aid practices that is widely promoted to be learned by a common citizen. This practice includes giving out compressions and breathing to a person suffering from a cardiac arrest. The American Heart Association (AHA) have recently updated the ABC approach to CAB or Compressions-Airway-Breathing. Recent studies have shown that the ABC approach lessens the rescue time by almost 20 seconds when airway is prioritized. With the new approach, the rescuer should give out compressions right away.

Also, the hands-only approach that consists only of compressions when giving out CPR can also be practiced. In fact, this method is targeted towards encouraging bystanders to administer first aid as soon as the need for it is recognized. Just like the usual approach, CPR must be continued until professional help arrives.

When is CPR administered?

An unconscious person does not necessarily need a CPR unless he or she has difficulty in breathing or not breathing at all and/or when his or her heart is not beating. A cardiac arrest can happen when a person suffers from a heart attack, stroke, allergic reaction, trauma to the neck and head part, near-drowning incident, severe electrocution, and bleeding. In these situations, it is important that both the rescuer and the victim’s safety is secured before administering CPR.

In cases of trauma, administering CPR can be more complicated. There are moments when a victim must not be moved depending on the trauma that the victim he or she has undergone. In these kind of situation, it is of utmost importance to keep all the variables in check and call professional help right away.

How is CPR Administered?

Hands-only CPR

This is one of the ways of carrying out CPR for an unconscious victim. To do this, the rescuer must place the heel of his hand over the chest of the victim, more specifically on the breastbone. Then the other hand must be put on top of the other with all of the fingers interlocked. After this, the rescuer must give out 100 to 120 compressions in a minute until professional help arrives.

30:2 Ratio

The hands-only approach was modified in order to focus on compressions when a cardiac arrest happens and a properly-trained rescuer is not around. The 30:2 ratio, on the other hand, can also be performed to help revive a cardiac arrest victim. This ratio refers to 30 compressions and 2 full breaths. The rescuer must give out 30 compressions and then breathe in two full breaths and then back to compressions. This cycle must be repeated until professional help arrives.

The combination of an AED and CPR during a sudden cardiac arrest significantly increases the chances of survival of the victim. In fact, with each passing minute the survival rate decreases from 7 to 10 percent. If no first aid is done within 12 minutes after the person suffered from cardiac arrest, the damaging effects can be irreversible.

These numbers only show how important it is to take action immediately as soon as the need for first aid is recognized. Unfortunately, even with the latest developments on the CPR methods and AED accessibility, the number of deaths attributed to cardiac arrest remains high.

The Significance of CPR and AED

Based on the analysis of collected 2010 and 2014 North Carolina Cardiac Arrest Registry to Enhance Survival, the training conducted on different family members and bystanders produced significant increase on the survival rate of cardiac arrest victims. Those that have received CPR in public places that was admitted to a hospital had 16.8 chances of survival that was once a 10.8 percent. Those that have received the first aid on their home had 8.1 percent of survival that was once a 5.7. The results may be minimal but they are significant.

Based on the results of the study, there were three important points pointed out. The first is that the characteristics of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests resemble that of cardiology patients. The role of the family members in recognizing the symptoms of a cardiac arrest as well as their knowledge on the steps to perform contributes largely to the survival rate of the victim. Second, a well-planned system on how to address sudden cardiac arrest from recognizing it down to the hospital admission is also crucial. Third, the widespread training on how to use CPR and AED can significantly reduce the number of deaths caused by cardiac arrest.

Improvements for CPR and AED

The American Heart Association (AHA) have been continuously making new methods and approaches to encourage more bystanders to assist during a cardiac arrest incident. This is why the hands-only CPR is promoted alongside with the CAB approach. Communities must be well-aware of the importance of the knowledge of administering CPR and AED. There are also efforts done on implementing the Good Samaritan laws on some states and hopefully, more states will have this on their regulations.

The US Food and Drug Administration, on the other hand, have focused on imposing stricter rules when it comes to approving AED equipment. AEDs should be present on areas where people gather such as casinos, malls and more; however, one of the rising concerns regarding AED is its function. There have been issues of AED malfunction whenever it is used that hinders its efficiency. This is why the FDA that would require manufacturers to submit premarket approval applications (PMA). This will have the AED undergo a more tedious inspection and review to avoid these malfunction issues.

Both CPR and AED work together to help a cardiac arrest patient survive or suffer minimal damages. Even if just one of the two variables are present, as long as it is administered right away, the significance can be staggeringly huge. Simply put, they are important and one must know how to administer them.

An automatic external defibrillator, shortened to AED, is a device that simulates the role of a defibrillator for sudden cardiac arrest patients. The characteristics of an AED is in its name. An AED is automatic. This means that once a problem in the heart beat is detected, such as irregular heartbeats (Arrhythmia) or when the beating stops such as in a sudden cardiac arrest patient, then its features activate. It is external, meaning that it can be carried around, and is more portable compared to its larger counterparts. Additionally, its characteristic of being external means that those in need can use it. It is in contrast to internal defibrillators, which has the same actions, but it requires surgery to be implanted in the heart, which may not be a viable option for some.

A defibrillator acts by sending a shock to the heart to restart its beating. It may be due to irregular heartbeats, strong or weak beats, or complete stop of the heartbeat. The electric shock from an AED is delivered straight to the heart even from the outside. Those who benefit from AEDs are people diagnosed with certain heart diseases. It acts as the very first immediate response to any and all heart problems without needing another human’s intervention. This greatly increases the time frame in which revival is still at its peak.

Establishments should have AEDs available to accommodate and attempt revival of sudden cardiac arrest patients or help those experiencing other irregularities in their hearts if within their vicinity. If most establishments adapt an AED or even a full-scale defibrillator, more and more sudden cardiac arrest victims can be revived. Establishments that adapt AEDs in their clinics can help in creating a safer environment for those with heart problems.

An AED is better to have than an actual defibrillator in a financial perspective. This is because as an automatic external defibrillator, an expert is not needed to operate it, although it is still an advantage. For a defibrillator, an expert must be hired to operate it as well and maintain. As a sensitive equipment, maintenance costs can be quite high as well. Smaller establishments can choose an AED for saving costs on maintenance, operation, and purchasing for a smaller, yet still a very effective defibrillator.

Acquiring an AED is easy in this day and age. Going online to find the best AED can net you with a lot of results. Additionally, there are a lot of good online shops that are certified to sell and distribute good AEDs for the interested parties. As a customer, make sure that you are dealing with a trustworthy seller of AEDs. You would not want to purchase an inefficient AED and not have a way of giving back. With trustworthy AED sellers, you can have a warranty and a very helpful support system to aid you in operating and knowing how to maintain your purchased AED for maximum efficiency. Finding one would require some research and comparison, but you can always find all these characteristics of a good seller here.

CPR is a well-known procedure that is prominent in most media and news. It is a procedure stimulating the heart of a victim of sudden cardiac arrest. This creates an artificial beating of the heart that can create an artificial beating of the heart so that the blood keeps pumping throughout the body. This helps in keeping the body ‘alive’ for more advanced revival techniques once medical professionals arrive at the scene.

CPR has saved many lives, even in the most inopportune moments. One would think that if there is a victim of cardiac arrest in public, it would be easier for people to react, but that is not always the case. There is the so-called bystander effect, where if there are a lot of bystanders in a scene, they would all be hesitating to move and help. This has nothing to do with morality or ethics, only that there is a psychological phenomenon preventing the people from helping those in need at sudden moments. Fortunately, it only takes one person to save a life.

In the event of a sudden cardiac arrest, if there is just one person to jump into action, then the rate of survival will be higher. This person can also mobilize other people by directly pointing at specific people and creating a need for that person to act. A quick call for emergency shall then mobilize advanced life support teams to the scene. Meanwhile, a trained individual should administer CPR to keep the chances of revival higher.

Even children can learn CPR. In recent news, a girl of 12 from Texas has successfully administered CPR to her father who was experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. This was due to her learning CPR months before, which turned out to be a big help in their time of need. There are many instances where children have learned CPR, perhaps during their time as a scout, or they could have attended a CPR training program. Either way, learning CPR at such a young age can still turn out to be a big help.

It is important to learn CPR from training centers. There are a lot of training centers that offer CPR programs that even kids can handle. Of course, it is important to note that most training programs may require an adult level of understanding, but kids can pick up the important parts to use during an emergency. With the help of a level-headed adult to guide the child, then attending a training program for CPR can be helpful in the future, in case of sudden cardiac arrest victims within your vicinity.

If an adult is looking for CPR training programs for their children, keep in mind that it is best if the adult, too, gets to apply for the training. This way, not only the child, but the guardian as well can jump into action once the need arises. With more people gaining knowledge of CPR, it can help in creating better chances for survival in the world for sudden cardiac arrest patients.

Sudden cardiac arrest, more commonly known as heart attack, is the leading cause of death in men and women in the United States. Cardiovascular problems lead as the cause of death, followed by cancer. In fact, combining all fatalities of all the forms of cancer does not even reach the number of lives claimed by cardiovascular diseases. The statistics of heart attack fatalities show that there is a statistically similar number of male and female deaths, across all categories such as social status, education, and age. The only significant category which can affect heart attack risks is the body mass index, BMI.

There are certain aspects which can increase the risk of heart attack. These aspects are all lifestyle choices which can potentially bring down the harmful elements in your blood, causing sudden cardiac arrest and other cardiovascular diseases. Fixing your diet is the first thing to do when it comes to dealing with lowering risks of heart diseases. One of the main causes of heart diseases is fat blocking the arteries, veins and blood vessels of the circulatory system. The solution then is to minimize the intake of food rich in fat. Moderate exercise can also help in lowering risks for heart diseases and increase heart muscle strength. There is a reason why the exercise is called as cardio. Smoking can increase the risks of heart attack so for smokers, practice quitting, and for non-smokers, don’t even think about it. Finally, always consult your physicians to find out if you have a higher risk of heart attack

There are many recorded instances of in-hospital and out-hospital sudden cardiac arrest. With these events, there are statistics that reflect the importance of CPR knowledge for helping a victim, if you are a bystander in the proximity of sudden cardiac arrest. Statistics have shown that out of the 19,300 instances of cardiac arrest where bystanders were witnesses, 31.4 percent survived, thanks to the efforts of the bystanders and their CPR training. This just shows that there is a great number of people that are willing to undergo CPR training to fulfill a civic duty in the time of need of someone. With more and more citizens learning CPR, this makes the country a safer place for those who might need the help of someone well-versed with revival techniques.

If you want to learn how to perform CPR, then it is best to find a training program for you. Not only is it easy to learn CPR, but the information that you would gather will be useful for a long time to come. You would discover that there are different ways of performing CPR for different people, such as kids, adults, and babies. You will learn about rescue breaths, and clearing the airway. You may also discover that you have a penchant for this procedure and may want to volunteer for other organizations dealing with rescue operations. Who knows, there might come a time when you would be a bystander in such a situation, and that is when you know what to do.