You are enjoying time with your loved ones when they suddenly grab their chests and fall. It’s a terrifying situation, but are you aware of what to do?
Knowing how to perform CPR quite literally may be the difference between life and death during those critical moments.
Please do not wait until it’s too late; learn CPR today and be ready to save someone else’s or your own life.
When someone suffers a heart attack, every second counts. Knowing how to perform CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) could save a life in such a critical moment.
This article will guide you through CPR, explain why it’s essential, and explain how to perform it effectively during a heart attack.
Table of contents
- What is CPR?
- When is CPR performed?
- Step-by-Step Guide to Performing CPR
- Why performing CPR is Important?
- What Happens During a Heart Attack?
- Difference Between a Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest
- How CPR Helps During a Heart Attack ?
- How CPR Works in an Emergency
- Step-by-Step Guide to Performing CPR
- What procedure needs to be followed CPR for Different Age Groups
- Why you Choose BuyAEDIndia?
- Conclusion
- FAQ
What is CPR?
CPR stands for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, a mixture of chest compressions and rescue breaths to keep blood full of oxygen pumping to the brain and other important organs.
CPR extends the time in which it is possible to revive someone after an injury or cardiac arrest and helps prevent permanent damage.
When is CPR performed?
Anyone of any age needs to know CPR if:
- Suddenly collapses
- Has no pulse
- Is not responsive
- Is not breathing
When someone has a heart attack outside of a hospital, more than half of them don’t get help right away.
If you get CPR right away after experiencing signs of cardiac arrest, your chance of living can double or even triple.
Check the following things before beginning CPR:
- Make sure the person is in an area with good airflow for their safety.
- Check if they are breathing, awake, and conscious before checking their pulse within 10 seconds to detect their heartbeat.
- If the victim is unconscious, call 102 immediately and begin CPR immediately.
- If an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is available, use it to give one shock before continuing CPR.
Step-by-Step Guide to Performing CPR
There is never a good time to learn how to do CPR correctly. Let us take you through the process.
Step-1: Assessing the Situation:
Before starting CPR, quickly assess the situation. Check if the person is responsive and breathing.
If they’re unresponsive and not breathing or only gasping, it’s time to act.
Step-2: Performing Chest Compressions:
Chest compressions are the core of CPR. They help maintain blood flow to vital organs.
Step-3: Correct Hand Placement and Pressure:
Place the heel of one hand in the center of the person’s chest, on the lower half of the breastbone.
Place your other hand on top and interlock your fingers.
Press down hard and fast, aiming for a depth of at least 2 inches in adults, at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.
Step-4: Delivering Rescue Breaths:
After 30 compressions, give two rescue breaths to provide oxygen.
Step-5: Ensuring Proper Airway Management:
The person’s head should be tilted forward to widen the airway. Close their nose, then seal your mouth with theirs.
Take a deep breath for about 1 second, long enough to cause the chest to rise clearly. Repeat the process of 30 compressions followed by two breaths.
Why performing CPR is Important?
The importance of CPR is that it may double or triple the survival chances of a person after cardiac arrest.
When the heart stops, it does not feed any part of the body with blood, and cells in the brain start dying within minutes.
CPR helps in maintaining circulation and postponing severe damage onset, hence giving the person a fighting chance until emergency services arrive.
What Happens During a Heart Attack?
A heart attack will occur when the flow of oxygen-rich blood to a portion of the heart muscle is blocked.
This blockage is usually caused by the buildup of fat, cholesterol, and other substances that together form plaque in the coronary arteries.
If the blocked artery isn’t reopened quickly, the part of the heart normally nourished by that artery begins to die.
Explore more: Latest Automated External Defibrillator Price in India (2024)
Difference Between a Heart Attack and Cardiac Arrest
Do not confuse heart attack and cardiac arrest as one and the same. A heart attack is caused by circulation problems; cardiac arrest occurs due to electrical problems; this means the heart has stopped pumping blood around your body.
CPR is needed during cardiac arrest, but it can also be lifesaving during a heart attack if the person’s condition deteriorates into cardiac arrest.
How CPR Helps During a Heart Attack ?
You might wonder how CPR fits into the picture during a heart attack. Here’s why it’s so crucial.
During a heart attack, it can still be pounding, but generally, the pulse is irregular or weak.
In case the heart stops, CPR helps in blood supply to the brain and other organs.
This will greatly increase the rate of survival and recovery if CPR is administered immediately.
How CPR Works in an Emergency
CPR is performed to manually keep the heart pumping through compressions of the chest and by the blowing of rescue breaths.
Within the short term and support the body by maintaining its functioning until medical personnel restart or stabilize the heart.
Step-by-Step Guide to Performing CPR
There is never a good time to learn how to do CPR correctly. Let us take you through the process.
Step-1: Assessing the Situation:
Before starting CPR, quickly assess the situation. Check if the person is responsive and breathing.
If they’re unresponsive and not breathing or only gasping, it’s time to act.
Step-2: Performing Chest Compressions:
Chest compressions are the core of CPR. They help maintain blood flow to vital organs.
Step-3: Correct Hand Placement and Pressure:
Place the heel of one hand in the center of the person’s chest, on the lower half of the breastbone.
Place your other hand on top and interlock your fingers.
Press down hard and fast, aiming for a depth of at least 2 inches in adults, at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.
Step-4: Delivering Rescue Breaths:
After 30 compressions, give two rescue breaths to provide oxygen.
Step-5: Ensuring Proper Airway Management:
The person’s head should be tilted forward to widen the airway. Close their nose, then seal your mouth with theirs.
Take a deep breath for about 1 second, long enough to cause the chest to rise clearly. Repeat the process of 30 compressions followed by two breaths.
What procedure needs to be followed CPR for Different Age Groups
Performing CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation) correctly can save lives, but the technique varies depending on the age group of the person in need. Here’s how to perform CPR on adults, children, and infants:
A. CPR for Adults:
Chest compressions on an adult must be done using two hands, pressed down firmly to keep the blood flowing. Breaths delivered should be adequate to raise the chest with every rescue breath.
B. CPR for Children:
In children, compressions should be done with just one hand, but the force applied should be less. The depth should be about 2 inches, but the rate of compression is the same.
C. CPR on newborns and little children:
Children and babies aren’t likely to have heart attacks, but there are other situations in which CPR could save the life of a young kid. The steps for basic CPR are the same; however, a child’s small body must be considered.
For a small kid, CPR is carried out as for an adult; chest compressions are made with one hand rather than two.
For an infant, place your thumbs side by side in the middle of the infant’s chest. Use your other fingers to wrap around the baby’s back and help support the back. Perform 30 fast compressions, allowing the chest to return to its normal position between each compression.
Why you Choose BuyAEDIndia?
BuyAEDIndia is your best choice for AEDs because we specialize in heart attack emergencies.
Our devices help you perform CPR effectively, and We offer top AEDs brands known for reliability.
With BuyAEDIndia, you’re choosing the right tools to keep your loved ones safe.
Conclusion
Knowing how to perform CPR makes all the difference between life and death, more so during a heart attack.
CPR will ensure that oxygenated blood keeps pumping to the brain and other essential organs as the casualty awaits professional help, thereby maximizing the chances of survival.
Always be prepared, for heart attacks are quite sudden. Every second counts.
When one learns CPR, he or she does not only learn a skill that empowers his or her capacity to save lives, be it a loved one or even a stranger.
FAQ
CPR stands for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, an emergency procedure involving chest compressions and rescue breaths to keep blood rushing to vital organs if someone’s heart stops beating properly.
Do CPR if a person collapses, is not responsive, has no pulse, and is not breathing.
First, check if the patient is responsive. In case they are not, place the heel of one hand in the center of their chest, with the other on top of the first, and press down 2 inches deep and hard, fast – about 100-120 compressions per minute. After 30 compressions, two breaths should be given.
In case of a heart attack, the heart simply stops pumping. CPR maintains blood supply to the brain and other vital organs of the body, maximizing the chances of survival until emergency help does arrive.
Keep performing CPR until you see signs of life, such as breathing or movement, or until professional help arrives and takes over.
