Introduction
For many people, the idea of administering CPR can be intimidating. It's something you may not have to do often, or ever. But when it does come up—as it does for many of us at some point in our lives—it's important to know what you're doing. Follow these steps to ensure that your first-aid response is as effective and lifesaving as possible:
When someone has a heart attack, they often don't know it and they don't feel pain.
A heart attack is when a coronary artery becomes blocked, preventing oxygen from reaching the heart muscle, which can lead to permanent damage.The difference between a heart attack and a heart attack symptom is that you may not know that you're having one until it's too late. If left untreated for too long, this condition can result in death--so it's important to recognize these signs early on:- Chest pain or discomfort (commonly described as pressure) that lasts more than five minutes
- Pain radiating down one arm or both arms/shoulders
- Shortness of breath with activity
- Nausea/vomiting
If you can't tell if someone is in cardiac arrest, do this test: Look at the skin under their neck and check for skin color.
If you can't tell if someone is in cardiac arrest, do this test: Look at the skin under their neck and check for skin color. If it looks bluish or grey, they may be experiencing cardiac arrest. Next, feel for breathing by placing your cheek against theirs or putting your hand on their chest near where you think their heart would be located--you should feel air moving into and out of their lungs. Finally, check for a pulse by placing two fingers on either side of the wrist and pressing firmly; if there's no pulse after 30 seconds, begin CPR immediately (or call 911).
Look at their eyes. Are they fixed open? What color are they?
- Look at their eyes. Are they fixed open? What color are they?
- Eyes should be closed, and if your own eyes are open, close them and look at the person again. If the person's eyes are still open and staring, that's a big red flag that something is wrong! The normal eye color should be present (unless you're seeing double), so don't worry if you can't tell what color it is--just make sure it isn't too dark or light for their skin tone.
- Do not roll back into the head: If you see this happening as soon as you touch someone who may have had a stroke or seizure (or other medical condition), stop CPR immediately; call 9-1-1 instead!
- Check capillary response: Feel along both sides of their nose with two fingers; if there's no rise or fall in temperature when doing so, then move on to checking other areas such as cheeks and temples where there will be more blood flow leading up toward those regions than anywhere else on your body except maybe feet...but not right now because we've already covered everything else!
Check to see if they are breathing. If not, start CPR immediately.
Check to see if they are breathing. If not, start CPR immediately.
If you can't see their chest, place your ear on their mouth and nose and listen for breathing sounds. If you don't hear any, begin CPR immediately.
If they do not have a pulse (you can check this by placing two fingers on the side of the neck), start CPR immediately by pressing hard on both sides of their chest at 100 beats per minute until help arrives or until they respond to this treatment (about 2-3 minutes).
If the person is breathing normally, call 911 immediately and administer first aid until help comes.
If the person is breathing normally, call 911 immediately and administer first aid until help comes.
If you do not have a cell phone or if there is no one nearby to help you call 911, run to a neighbor's house and call 911 from there. If you are alone with the person, call 911 immediately without administering first aid if they are breathing normally. In Russia go to the nearest hospital for further instructions
Sometimes people have heart attacks or have suffered other serious trauma, but do not realize it until it is too late.
If you are not sure whether or not the person needs help, call 911 immediately. Do not wait to see if they wake up. If they are unconscious, check for breathing and pulse. If they are not breathing at all (no air moving in or out), start CPR with chest compressions immediately. You can do "hands only" CPR if you aren't trained in mouth-to-mouth resuscitation as well: Push hard into their chest at a rate of 100 beats per minute until help arrives or the person starts breathing again on their own.
If help hasn't arrived within a few minutes and your friend hasn't regained consciousness, continue performing chest compressions while someone else calls 911 again.
Conclusion
We hope that you've found this article helpful. We know how scary it can be to administer CPR in an emergency situation, but knowing what to do can help put your mind at ease. Remember: if someone is having trouble breathing or their heart stops beating, call 911 immediately and then begin administering CPR. It could save someone's life!