8/3/2019 Some Facts About CPR
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Some Facts about CPR
CPR is one of the techniques to aimed at maintaining blood flow
following cardiac arrest. More than 350,000 people suffer cardiac
arrest in the USA each year,
making it the leading cause of death in adults. Without
interventions such as CPR, death can occur in as quickly as eight
to 10 minutes following cardiac arrest.
Purpose
Following cardiac arrest, the heart stops and no blood flows to
the brain and other organs of the body. The heart and brain, in
particular, rely on a continuoussupply of blood and oxygen.
Interruption of blood flow can result in brain damage as quickly as
four minutes following cardiac arrest. The goal of CPR is to
continue to provide a small amount of blood and oxygen to the
tissues to prevent permanent damage.
History
One man Called Friedrich Maass as German physician is credited
with the first successful resuscitation using chest compressions in
1892. CPR, as it is known today with integrated cardiac
compressions and rescue breaths, was developed in 1960. The
American Heart Association, a key player in training both
health-care professionals and the general public, began its
education programs at this same time.
Survival Rates
Immediate CPR can double or triple a sudden cardiac arrest
victims chances of sur
vival, notes the American Heart Association. Although CPR rarely
corrects the underlying problem, it does provide the victim with
additional time prior to receiving more advanced interventions such
as cardiac defibrillation.
Safety
The article published in Circulation in 2005 details the CPR
procedure for children and infants. The first step in CPR is to
ensure the area surrounding the child or infant is safe for the
first aider to attempt CPR. If the child or infantis in further
danger, it is necessary to move them before beginning CPR.
Hands Only CPR
In hopes of increasing the rates of CPR provided by bystanders,
the American Heart Association encourages you to become aware of a
newly promoted technique involving continuous chest compressions,
also called hands-only CPR. In this technique, the person assisting
only provides hard and fast compressions to the victimwithout
rescue breaths, which greatly improves the chance for survival for
the victim compared to no intervention.
Training
The American Heart Association and Red Cross offer training
courses for health-care professionals and the lay public. The
American Heart Association trains more
than 12 million people per year in how to perform CPR, while the
American Red Cross trains additional 15 million in CPR and other
lifesaving skills.
