Would you know what to do if someone went into cardiac arrest? Calling 911 should always be the first step, but before medical professionals arrive, immediately performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) will greatly increase the victim’s chances for survival.
Statistics indicate that 70%-80% of cardiac arrest cases occur either in the home or at public places. In such cases, the person nearest at hand to the victim is often a bystander with no medical expertise such as a relative, an office colleague, or a passer-by. If those present at the scene have the training and ability to provide CPR to the victim promptly, chances of survival are SIGNIFICANTLY increased.
This is because TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE when treating a cardiac arrest victim. Once the heart stops beating and blood flow stops, a person will lose consciousness within 15 seconds. Within another 30 to 60 seconds, they will stop breathing, and IRREVERSIBLE damage to their brain cells will follow after several minutes of oxygen deprivation.
When an individual suffers from cardiac arrest, their survivability depends greatly on receiving IMMEDIATE CPR from a bystander. However, according to the American Heart Association (AHA), less than one-third of these individuals receive the help they need, because most bystanders are untrained in CPR and are afraid they will do something wrong.
CPR is a life-saving technique that helps maintain some blood flow to the brain and heart and can help “buy time” until professional EMS providers arrive with more advanced care. The American College of Cardiology provides a comprehensive fact sheet on the basics of CPR and instructions for administering compressions for trained and untrained people.
Here at Adventure Medics we pride ourselves in offering comprehensive, hands-on learning to make you, the provider, confident in your ability to recognize and begin treating an individual in cardiac arrest. CPR Training: Learn the basics, save a life!
Visit our website and www.adventuremedics.com and schedule a CPR/AED class today!