Introduction
Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency. It can happen to anyone, but it's most common in adults over age 40. Cardiac arrest is often caused by a heart condition or an electrical problem in the heart that disrupts the flow of blood and oxygen to the brain. When someone suffers cardiac arrest, they need immediate CPR from bystanders or first responders in order to survive. We recommend hands-only CPR for any layperson who witnesses a victim of cardiac arrest — no mouth-to-mouth resuscitation necessary! In this article, we'll explore how CPR works and why it's important for you to know it if you ever find yourself around someone experiencing cardiac arrest.
Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency
Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency, and CPR is one of the best interventions to help save a person's life. If you witness someone suffering from cardiac arrest, you should immediately call 911 and start performing CPR on their chest until help arrives.
CPR is performed by pressing down hard and fast on the sternum (breastbone) with two fingers while simultaneously blowing air into the mouth through an open seal over the nose. This combination of compressions and ventilations causes blood circulation to restart in the heart and brain. Bystanders are more likely to perform CPR in public places where an AED is present; however, knowing where your workplace's AEDs are located could mean the difference between life and death for anyone who suffers from sudden cardiac arrest at work!
What is CPR?
CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It's a combination of chest compressions, mouth-to-mouth breathing, and rescue breaths that can help keep oxygen-rich blood circulating through the body during cardiac arrest.
Mouth-to-mouth breathing helps restore a person's breathing after they stop breathing on their own. Without CPR, victims of sudden cardiac arrest have little chance of survival--the average time between collapse and death is about three minutes without intervention.
How does CPR work?
CPR is a combination of chest compressions, mouth-to-mouth breathing, and rescue breaths.
- Chest compressions: This involves pressing on the middle of the victim's breastbone with your fingertips at a rate of 100 times per minute. You should do this while they're lying flat on their back (not sitting up).
- Rescue breaths: After 30 compressions, give 2 breaths by placing your mouth over theirs and blowing air into their lungs until they make an audible sound (like sighing). Then go back to doing 30 chest compressions for one minute before repeating those steps again until help arrives or you feel comfortable stopping due to fatigue or exhaustion--but never stop if someone else is available!
Cardiac arrest isn't always caused by heart attacks; it can also happen when electrical impulses from within the heart suddenly stop working properly due to other problems like arrhythmias or myocardial infarctions (commonly referred to as "heart attacks"). If this happens during exercise or physical exertion, it's known as sudden cardiac death--and it's why athletes are advised against strenuous physical activity after undergoing surgery involving coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).
Why is it important to do CPR?
CPR can help to keep the heart pumping and blood flowing to the brain. This is important because, after 4-6 minutes without oxygen, brain cells begin to die. If a victim's heart stops beating and they aren't resuscitated, their chance of survival drops by 10% for every minute that passes without CPR or defibrillation (an electric shock).
To give you an idea of how fast things happen: if your friend collapses in front of you today and doesn't have any pulse or breathing by the time you call 911--it will take approximately seven minutes before brain death occurs!
A bystander can save a cardiac arrest victim
CPR is a lifesaving technique that can help save a person's life. It should be used in many different situations, but it is most commonly performed on unconscious patients with no pulse.
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating and stops pumping blood through the body. If CPR isn't started within 4 minutes of cardiac arrest, chances of survival decrease by 10% for each minute without CPR.
A bystander can save a cardiac arrest victim with chest compressions, mouth-to-mouth breathing, and rescue breaths. Bystanders who witness an adult suddenly collapse may believe that they are having a heart attack and call 911 immediately so paramedics can arrive quickly enough to perform CPR before it's too late.
. If you're unsure of how to do chest compressions, here are some tips: -Position yourself at the victim's side with his or her head facing down -Place one hand on top of the other and align them directly over the center of the person's breastbone. Your hands should form a V shape with your index finger pointing toward the victim's chin.
Conclusion
CPR is an essential lifesaving tool for cardiac arrest victims. The sooner you start CPR on someone who suffers from cardiac arrest, the better their chances of survival will be. This video explains how CPR works and why it's so important to learn this skill so everyone can help save lives in emergency situations!