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How to Perform CPR

 

What's the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest?

 

These terms are generally used interchangeably, but they are two different events.


A heart attack occurs when an artery supplying the heart with blood becomes blocked. This usually causes chest pain and leads to damage to some of the muscle of the heart. Some people may also experience neck and jaw pain, arm pain and for some, this may also feel like indigestion. A heart attack may cause cardiac arrest, particularly in the early stages, but this is not inevitable. The risk of cardiac arrest, however, emphasises the importance of calling for immediate help if anyone is suspected of having a heart attack, so that they can receive treatment to reduce the damage to their heart and reduce the risk of a cardiac arrest occurring.


A cardiac arrest happens when someone’s heart suddenly stops beating, and their breathing is abnormal or has stopped. It is an electrical problem caused by irregular heart rhythms called arrhythmias. Death occurs within minutes after the heart stops.

 

 

How to do CPR


If you see someone has collapsed, their heart may have suddenly stopped beating, and their breathing may be abnormal or has stopped.  You need to act fast so they can have the best chance of survival. Without quick action, the person will die.

 

Before CPR you must:

 

  1. Shout for help
  2. Look and listen for signs of normal breathing – Look at the rise and fall of their chest
  3. Call 999 – put the phone on loud speaker
  4. Fetch the Defibrillator – Send someone to get it, never leave the patient alone

Start chest compressions by:

 

  1. Interlocking fingers
  2. Place your hands in the centre of the chest
  3. Push down hard and then release twice per second and stop.

SWITCH ON DEFIBRILLATOR AND FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS

 

Continue CPR until:

 

  1. the AED ask you to pause while it reanalyses and gives another shock if needed
  2. a paramedic arrives and tells you what to do
  3. the person shows signs of life.

CPR with rescue breaths (Gold Standard)

 

If you’ve received training in CPR with rescue breaths and feel confident in using your skills in an emergency scenario, you should try to give both chest compressions combined with rescue breaths. If you’re not confident, just carry out hands-only CPR.

 

The technique for performing CPR with rescue breaths varies depending on the age of the casualty:

 

Adults

 

  1. Perform the steps for hands-only CPR as above
  2. After every 30 chest compressions, give two rescue breaths
  3. Gently tilt the casualty’s head back and lift the chin up with two fingers
  4. Keep the casualty’s head tilted back, pinch their nose, seal your mouth over theirs and blow steadily and firmly into their mouth for one second
  5. Check that their chest rises
  6. Give two rescue breaths each time
  7. Continue the cycle until they recover, or emergency assistance arrives and takes over.

Children

 

  1. Open the airway by placing one hand on the child’s forehead and tilting their head back, lifting the chin using two fingers
  2. Remove any visible obstructions from the mouth and nose, but don’t put your fingers into the mouth unnecessarily
  3. Keep the child’s head tilted back, pinch their nose, seal your mouth over theirs and blow steadily and firmly into their mouth, checking that their chest rises
  4. Give a total of five initial rescue breaths
  5. Perform chest compressions, using one hand in the middle of the chest, ensuring you achieve a depth of at least one third the depth of the child’s chest
  6. After every 30 chest compressions, give two rescue breaths
  7. Continue the cycle until they recover, or emergency assistance arrives and takes over.

Infants (under 1 years):

 

  1. Open the airway by placing one hand on the infant’s forehead and tilting their head back gently, lifting the chin using one finger
  2. Remove any visible obstructions from the mouth and nose, but don’t put your fingers into the mouth unnecessarily
  3. Keep the infant’s head tilted gently back, pinch their nose, seal your mouth over their mouth and nose and blow steadily and firmly into their mouth, checking that their chest rises
  4. Give a total of five initial rescue breaths
  5. Perform chest compressions using two fingers in the middle of the chest, ensuring you achieve a depth of at least one third the depth of the infant’s chest
  6. After every 30 chest compressions, give two rescue breaths
  7. Continue the cycle until they recover, or emergency assistance arrives and takes over.

Info and video source: www.resus.org.uk.

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