How To Perform CPR
Learning basic knowledge of apt first aid is very imperative as it can help you, your love ones or your neighbors in times of unexpected and life-threatening situations such as drowning, choking, poisoning or heart attack. These misfortunes can be inevitable no matter how much we try to keep away from them, therefore, it is always better to learn some basic first aid treatments such as how to perform CPR.
What Is CPR?
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or more commonly referred to as CPR, is a very functional lifesaving method in cases of emergencies, as aforementioned, such as heart attacks or near and unintentional drowning, in which a person’s heartbeat or breathing has stopped or considerably slowed down. According to professional research, heart attack is one of the top ten leading causes of death all around the world, while drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional injury death in all ages.
Within ten minutes, a person may die when the heart stops due to lack of oxygenated blood which can cause brain damage. Performing CPR facilitates in maintaining oxygenated blood flowing to the brain as well as other vital organs in the body while waiting for professional help and medical treatment which can fully restore the normal heartbeat.
How To Perform CPR
Always keep in mind that being knowledgeable in CPR is always beneficial for you and for the people you care about. Since emergencies happen on a whim, you are always ready if ever it strikes.
The important thing to always remember when performing CPR is the acronym CAB— which stands for Circulation, Airway, and Breathing.
How To Perform CPR New Guidelines:
- Check whether the victim is unconscious or conscious by asking loud enough “Are you OK?” If the person does not respond, roll the person on his or her back.
- Call 911 or ask someone else to do so. But if you are all by yourself, start giving chest compression for one minute and then call 911. For children, start five cycles of chest compressions and rescue breaths—should take two minutes—before calling for help.
- Begin chest compressions by putting the heel of your hand right at the center of the person’s chest and then placing the other hand on top of the first with your fingers interlocked.
- Press down at least 2 inches in adults and children and 1.5 inches in infants. Give 100 chest compressions per one minute. Tip: Try to mentally sing Bee Gee’s song “Stayin’ Alive”
- You can now start doing rescue breaths by opening the victim’s airway. Tilt his or her head and lift the chin. Pinch the victim’s nose. Remember when doing rescue breaths, you just have to take normal breaths and not deep ones. Make sure as well that your mouth completely seals the mouth of the victim to give effective breaths. Give two rescue breaths while watching the rise and fall of the victim’s chest.
- Keep doing these steps until help arrives or the victim responds.
It is recommended by the American Heart Association for everyone to learn this technique.
If you are worried that you do not know the proper way or doubtful enough of how to perform CPR properly, the American Heart Association gave some tips on ways how you can help and not just stand and watch while someone is dying even though you are not fully trained on performing CPR expertly.
- How to perform CPR if you are inexperienced. You can give hands-only CPR in which you perform 100 per minute chest compressions until paramedics or help arrives. You do not have to give rescue breathing.
- How to perform CPR if you are skilled and positive. You will start giving 30 chest compressions first before checking the airway and then giving rescue breaths.
- How to perform CPR if you are educated but out of practice. If this is the case, that you received training in the past but not completely certain of your skills, you can just perform chest compressions for one minute.
It is also important to emphasize that CPR and other first aid treatments are only meant to reduce or alleviate damage and not completely cure the injured person. Again, you are only alleviating the damage or preventing further damage on the injured person; it is recommended to still seek proper medical help after giving first aid treatment.
