How to do CPR

There are times when out of the blue you might find someone collapsing around you due to a heart attack or some other reason. In an overcrowded subway, in your office, while walking down the street and sometimes you find your loved one on the floor, unconscious and unresponsive. This is the time, when you wish you knew CPR and help save the life of the unresponsive victim. By the time help arrives, there is much that you could do and save a person's life by carrying out the steps for resuscitation.

How to Perform CPR

Let us have a look at the procedure according to method followed by emergency medical staff. The American Heart Association (AHA) had given an easy code that will help one remember the steps. This easy code or acronym included ABC. This stands for Airway, Breathing, Circulation. This means you first check if the victim is responsive. If not, then call emergency immediately. In the meantime, lie the person down on a flat hard surface or floor. Then, begin with A, that is, tilt the head and lift the chin of the victim to open the airway. Once you open the airway, bring your ears near the person's mouth and nose and listen for any breathing. Watch for chest motion due to breathing B. Within 10 seconds, if you neither hear, observe or feel breath, begin with mouth to mouth. You need to pinch the nose gently and keep it closed. Then, take in a breath and put your lips around the person's mouth and create an airtight seal. Blow in two breaths, one following the other after about a second. You will observe the chest of the person rising. Allow it to fall back again and breath in again. If, however, no movement is observed, you will have to reposition the head and open the airway. Check if there is any foreign object obstructing the airway.

If the person is still unresponsive, begin with chest compressions C. You need to kneel besides the person's chest and place the help of one of your hands on the breastbone. Imagine an imaginary line that divides the chest horizontally. Place your hand between this line right between the nipples. Place the heel of the other hand over the top of the first hand. Now your body should be placed directly over the hands. The shoulders should be in line with the hands and when you look down, your vision should be directly over your hands placed on the victims chest. Now, give 30 chest compressions at the rate of 100 compressions/minute. This means in a second, you are giving the victim 2 compressions. Press about 1 ½ to 2 inches into the chest. The compressions should be hard and fast without a pause. Allow the chest to relax between the compressions without changing your hand position. After 30 compressions, give mouth to mouth to the person. The breath rescue is followed by compressions. Continue till the person moves or is responsive. The minute the person moves or responds, stop performing CPR. Now, turn over the person to his/her side. Make sure there is no head or neck injury. Support the head and neck as the victim is turned over. Place the lower arm in front of the victim as in the recovery position. The airway should be kept open if the person has suffered from head or neck injury.

New and Easy Way to Do CPR
AHA has made changes in the acronym ABC to CAB. This means, one has to follow Circulation, Airway, Breathing. According to a study on cardiopulmonary resuscitation, it had been found that giving fast chest compressions helped saved lives better than giving mouth to mouth. This is because the compressions helped flow of blood into the brain and heart, thus giving the victim a better chance to recover. Also, many bystanders avoid these steps as they are wary of mouth to mouth resuscitation. Thus, AHA has introduced CAB as the new way to perform CPR.

The new way should be followed if you are an untrained rescuer or have minimum knowledge. Also, those who want to avoid mouth to mouth CPR, should go in for compressions only CPR. First, place the person on his back on a firm surface and kneel besides him. Then, place the heel of your hand between the nipples and other hand over the other hand on the chest. Keep your elbows straight and shoulders in line with the hands. With the help of your upper body weight, push straight into the chest at least 1½ to 2 inches into the chest. Push fast and hard for about 30 compressions at the rate of 100 compressions/minute. Watch for signs of chest movement. If not, continue to give chest compressions till help arrives.

If you are trained, and you find the victim unresponsive after 30 chest compressions, then you need to open the person's airway. You need to place your palm over the forehead of the victim and gently lift the chin forward. Now, immediately within 10 seconds, bend down and listen for any breathing. Observe chest motion and feel the breath on your cheeks. If you find neither of these signs are present, begin with mouth to mouth. But, before that check if there is any obstruction blocking the airway. Rescue breathing should not be carried out, if there are signs of mouth or nose injury. Open the airway with the head-tilt and chin-lift maneuver. Pinch the nostrils with your fingers and cover the mouth with your lips creating a seal. Give two rescue breaths and see if the chest rises. Allow it to fall back and continue giving rescue breath. If the person does not move after five cycles or 2 minutes, continue with compressions, till you don't get a response or emergency personnel takes over the situation.

Performing CPR on a Baby
A baby may require CPR when he/she suffers from a cardiac arrest, due to lack of oxygen after choking or drowning. If you suspect airway obstruction, place you finger in the victim's mouth and try to sweep out the foreign object. If there is nothing obstructing the airway, and the baby is still unresponsive, call the emergency number.

Remember CAB and begin with the compressions. Place the baby on a flat surface like a table or floor. Then place two fingers between the baby's nipples. Then gently press the chest about 1.5 inches and pump at the rate of 100 compressions per minute. If after 30 compressions you get no response, try to open the airway of the baby. Tip the baby's head back and lift the chin. Within 10 seconds, bend down to hear for breathing, look for chest motion and feel the breath on your cheek. If this is not observed, give the child two rescue breaths. Just puff in the air, do not blow hard. Remember, a baby's lungs are very tiny. If the chest does not rise, check for airway obstruction. After another go with mouth to mouth, you get no response, begin with 30 compressions. Continue with CPR steps till help arrives.

Remember, if you want to avoid mouth to mouth, you should continue with the compressions. This will help save a life. Equip yourself by learning how to perform CPR and save lives in emergency.