CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION

In 2015, 30 million people suffered a heart attack, out of which about 17 million deaths occurred on the spot. From my previous blog on HEART ATTACK you'll are already well-versed with the other ways to tackle, also prevent an attack. But one of the key measure to save a life of the victim is CARDIOPULMONARY RESUSCITATION.

 

WHY CPR?

CPR is an emergency procedure in which the compressing and relaxing movements of your hands on the chest of the heart attack victim works like a heart. It pumps the oxygenated blood collected in the  heart through the vessels to the brain and avoids its permanent damage which sets in just after 4 minutes of heart stoppage.

  Yes, it requires skill to perform a correct CPR, requires a lot of energy, a lot of humanity and once started, cannot be left midway till help arrives. So much of hard work and result? You save a life! Not kidding, a perfectly performed CPR saves life almost every time. And all you have to do is memorize the following 6 steps.

WHEN SHOULD BE CPR GIVEN? 

 CPR should be given in the following situations:

• When the person is fine one moment but suddenly collapses and loses conscious.
• When the person has a history of a previous heart attack.  
• When the person stops breathing, mouth-to-mouth should be given.
• When the person is already unconscious and you discover that he/she is pulse less.  

More questions on CPR answered on : http://heart.arizona.edu/frequently-asked-questions   

SELF-HELP 

 

6 STEPS OF PERFORMING A PERFECT CPR

Imagine, you are jogging with your buddy around the marine drive early in the morning. He suddenly collapses with his hands on the chest. This is what you are going to do next:

 STEP 1 :

Make the victim lie on a flat surface and make sure he gets fresh air. Tap his/her shoulders twice and ask, "Are you okay?". This way the consciousness of the victim can  be checked. Call for help if no one is around and ask that person to call the ambulance 102 (India) before you start performing CPR.

STEP 2 :

Check for pulse. Press your thumb firmly on the right upper or left upper side of the windpipe. If you don't get a pulse doesn't necessarily mean it is absent. Therefore the American association says, the pulse may not be searched for to save time and CPR should be performed anyway.

STEP 3 :

Bring your cheek near the mouth of the victim to feel the air expired on the cheek to check if the victim is breathing. Expose the chest of the victim up to the belly button. If he/she is not breathing, you will have to perform chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth breathing. If the victim is breathing, mouth-to mouth-breathing is not required.

STEP 4 :

Start performing chest compressions immediately. The center of the line joining two nipples is the area where maximum force should be put. Sit near the head end of the victim with your legs folded. Place the heel of your right hand at the center and your left hand above it and lace them together. ( see picture)
Keep your elbows and back straight, the movement of up and down should occur at your hip joint.
 Do not worry about the injuries caused to the victim while you provide compressions. Remember if you don't push hard, he won't stay alive to complaint about the bruises.
When you press down, allow the chest to come up again before you apply the next compression. If you give incomplete and fast compressions, the heart wont be able to pump enough blood to the brain.
GIVE 30  CHEST COMPRESSIONS AT ONE GO FOLLOWED BY THE MOUTH-TO-MOUTH VENTILATION. COUNT LOUDLY WHILE YOU DO SO.

STEP 5 :

After 30 chest compressions, start with mouth-to-mouth ventilation.
 Hold the jaw of the victim with one hand and lift it up, other hand on the head of the victim- to clear the airway.
Pinch the nose of the victim to prevent the air escape through the mouth.
Place a thin cloth over the mouth of the victim to avoid direct contact with the victim's mouth.
Take a deep breath and fill your mouth with air and pump it into victim's with force.
When you do so, make sure you see the victim's chest rising. This indicates a perfect mouth-to-mouth ventilation.
GIVE 2 MOUTH-TO-MOUTH VENTILATION WITH A GAP OF AT LEAST 1 SECOND.

STEP 6 :

Repeat the cycle of  30 CHEST COMPRESSIONS FOLLOWED BY 2 MOUTH-TO-MOUTH VENTILATIONS till help arrives. Make sure you manage to give at least 60-90 chest compressions per minute. You have to be fast and forceful yet allow complete expansion of the chest after each compression. Do not stop in the middle. If you get tired midway, ask the person around to perform CPR, but DO NOT STOP TILL THE PARAMEDICAL WORKERS ASK YOU TO!

MYTH-O-LITH

 Do not give CPR unless the patient is unconscious.
In cases where AED kit ( electric defibrillator) is available, CPR is not required. Follow the instructions of the AED.
The above mentioned CPR procedure is ONLY FOR ADULTS. The procedure for infants and children below the age of 8 years is different.

POST SCRIPTING:

 89% of deaths due to heart attacks can be prevented just by following the above 6 steps.  Remember, no matter where you are, a railway station, a shopping mall, at your office or in a lift, all you need to perform CPR is a flat ground surface to make the victim lie and determination to save that person's life! 

MUCH POWER TO YOU, DOCYOU!

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