THE ABCs OF CPR

CPR is administered when someones breathing or pulse (or both) stops. It is a procedure that is as simple as ABC: Airway Breathing and Circulation.

Assessment and Activation

I! you !ind an adult who has collapsed chec" responsi#eness by gently sha"ing a shoulder and shouting $Are you all right%& I! the person doesnt respond shout !or help. I! a helper is a#ailable send that person to call '(). I! no help is a#ailable ma"e the call yoursel!.

A. Airway
*o open the airway gently li!t the chin with one hand while pushing down on the !orehead with your other hand. +ou want to tilt the head bac". ,nce the airway is open lean o#er and put your ear close to the #ictims mouth. Look at the chest !or mo#ement. Listen !or the sound o! breathing. Feel !or breath on your chee". I! none o! these signs is present the person isnt breathing. I! opening the airway doesnt cause the person to spontaneously start breathing youll ha#e to pro#ide rescue breathing. I! the #ictim is breathing roll the person onto his or her side as a unit.

B. Breathing
*he best way to gi#e rescue breathing is by using the mouth-to-mouth techni.ue. /sing the thumb and !ore!inger o! your hand thats on the #ictims !orehead pinch the persons nose shut. Be sure to "eep the heel o! your hand in place so the persons head remains tilted. 0eep your other hand under the persons chin li!ting up. As you "eep an airtight seal with your mouth on the #ictims mouth immediately gi#e two !ull breaths.

C. Circ lation
A!ter gi#ing two !ull breaths !ind the persons carotid artery pulse to see i! the heart is still beating. *o !ind the carotid artery pulse ta"e your hand thats li!ting the chin and !ind the persons Adams apple (#oice bo1). 2lide the tips o! your !ingers down the groo#e beside the Adams apple and !eel !or the pulse. I! you cant !ind the pulse besides pro#iding rescue breathing youll ha#e to pro#ide arti!icial circulation. Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) If the casualty is not breathing the first aider will need to perform CPR (cardio-pulmonary resuscitation). In 200 the !uropean Resuscitation Council and the "merican #eart "ssociation$ in a re%ersal of policy$ subscribed to the effecti%eness of &ust chest compressions$ without artificial respiration$ for adults who suddenly collapse in cardiac arrest. It is unli'ely that CPR will start a heart. Its purpose is to maintain the flow of o(ygenated blood to the brain and heart$ and thus pre%enting or at least delaying tissue death. CPR can e(tend the brief window of time during which successful resuscitation may occur without permanent brain damage. In 200) I*C+R (International *iaison Committee on Resuscitation) agreed on new guidelines. ,he new guidelines ma'e it simpler for both lay rescuers and healthcare professionals to ma'e the most of the potential for early resuscitation. ,he new guidelines stated that rescuers should go straight to CPR if there is no breathing$ rather than then chec'ing for a pulse. It also added that rescue breathing without chest compressions must not be performed. Research indicates that a si-eable percentage of lay personnel cannot detect a pulse when one is there$ and some detect a pulse when one is not there. 3 30 chest compressions - the first aider should be 'neeling ne(t to the casualty who should be lying on his.her bac'. Place the heel of one hand in the middle of the casualty/s chest$ and place your other hand on top of your first hand and interlace the fingers. Push the chest down (compress the chest) to about 0.) to 2 inches (1 to ) cm). If the casualty is a child aged 1 to 8 years compress to a maximum of 1.5 inches (4 cm). ,hen let go and wait till the chest recoils (comes bac' up) completely before repeating. !lbows need to be 'ept straight throughout. Push the breastbone up and down to a depth of about ) cm - do this 20 times at a pulse rate of 000 per minute. If the casualty is a child aged from 1 to 8 years, use just one hand for the compressions.

3 Give 2 breaths - 3a'e sure airway is open and pinch the nose so it closes. 4ently
raise the chin upwards with the two fingers of your other hand. ,a'e a deep breath

and seal your mouth o%er the casualty/s mouth and breathe out into the casualty/s airway. 5ou should see the casualty/s chest rise and fall. ,o get another breath lift your head and breathe in deeply. Perform the whole procedure again. Repeat the 20 chest compressions followed by two breaths about fi%e times and then chec' to see whether the casualty has started to breathe normally. If not$ carry on performing CPR. If breathing starts normally$ stay with the casualty until help arri%es. If you feel uncomfortable about gi%ing rescue breaths remember that chest compressions alone are life sa%ers - do not &ust stand there doing nothing. It is important not to let your hands bounce when you ha%e performing the chest compressions - ma'e sure the heel of your hand is touching the casualty/s chest all the time during the chest compressions. 5ou may hear some pops and snaps during chest compressions6 this is normal$ so do not stop.