We have all heard of the emergency CPR procedure at some point in our lives. CPR or the cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedure is performed to resuscitate a person whose heart has suddenly stopped beating.
Experts believe that immediate CPR can increase a person’s chances of survival by 2 or even 3 times.
However, there are some important things to remember when you want to practice CPR.
In this article you will find some useful tips and tricks to ensure that CPR is performed correctly if someone close to you needs it.
1. Why should you perform CPR?
The first thing you need to know is why you should perform CPR on a person. When someone’s heart stops beating, they are in cardiac arrest.
In simple words, it indicates that the heart cannot pump blood to any part of the body, especially the brain and lungs.
And since the human body cannot function without an adequate blood supply to the brain and lungs, it is important to get the heart going again as soon as possible.
Otherwise, the person who has suffered cardiac arrest can die within minutes. CPR mimics the pumping of the heart through chest compressions.
2. Is cardiac arrest the same as a heart attack?
No, going into cardiac arrest is not the same as having a heart attack, so CPR will not work on someone who has had a heart attack.
In our body, oxygenated blood flows from the heart to different organs and then deoxygenated blood flows from the organs to the heart.
A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked. In this situation, a person can still breathe and speak normally, although they need medical assistance.
But a heart attack can lead to cardiac arrest if not treated immediately. In this situation, the patient needs CPR.
3. What type of training is needed to perform CPR?
Fortunately, you don’t need formal training to administer CPR to a patient, but you do need to know how to perform chest compressions.
If you see a loved one or bystander fall unconscious and the heart does not seem to be beating, call local emergency services immediately.
Then press hard and quickly on the center of the person’s chest. Make sure the rest of the push is around 100-120 per minute.
If you find it hard to keep track of the beats, you can keep pressing the beat to the popular song “Stayin’ Alive”.
However, if you are unsure and want to learn this technique properly, you can take CPR related courses at established places such as the CPD Institute in Australia.
4. What is Hands-Only CPR?
The Hands Only CPR method is where you do not need to administer mouth-to-mouth techniques.
As mentioned, you should keep pushing into the middle of the person’s chest for 100-120 beats per minute.
The hands-only method of CPR is preferred for someone helping their loved one who has suffered a cardiac arrest. It has also proven to be very effective.
5. What is word of mouth?
Mouth-to-mouth, also known as traditional CPR, alternates chest compressions with mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
Although this method is a little more complicated, it can deliver more oxygen to the patient’s body compared to the manual method.
People who have no training or experience in CPR should refrain from using the mouth-to-mouth method, as it can sometimes be uncomfortable. Traditional CPR is given to anyone who has had a sudden cardiac arrest.
6. What is the CPR procedure for children?
You must be very careful when administering CPR to young children. First, make sure you get consent from the child’s guardian and start CPR.
Then check to see if the child responds by tapping their shoulder or calling their name out loud, but don’t wait more than 10 seconds. If there’s no response, it’s time to start the process.
For a young child, you can perform CPR with one hand. But for older children, it is better to intertwine both hands, then manage. You can also blow into the child’s mouth for 1 second to see if the chest rises.
7. Does CPR have side effects?
Unfortunately yes. CPR has some side effects, but they are usually very mild and may not even occur for either party.
For example, if you administer CPR to a healthy person, they are very unlikely to experience any adverse side effects.
However, if you are administering CPR to an elderly or weak person, you should be as gentle as possible. Some long-term side effects of improperly performed CPR include weak lungs and breathing, rib damage, or even brain damage.
Conclusion
Here are some basic facts you should know before performing CPR on someone. So, if you still want to learn more about this life-saving procedure, you can join any local course and gain knowledge!
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