Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is artificial respiration and/or artificial circulation. You should be trained and certified by an accredited agency. Research has shown that early defibrillation is the best treatment for respiratory and cardiac arrest, but CPR is needed to maintain body functions and life support until defibrillation can be accomplished.

Assessment for the need for CPR includes assessing CAB:

C-Circulation

A-Airway

B-Breathing

The 2010 guidelines by the American Heart Association have made changes to simplify the sequences for basic life support in order to make CPR easier for all rescuers to remember and to use. The compression to ventilation ratio for single rescuer CPR is 30:2 for everyone. Rescue breaths should be delivered at the rate of 10 to 12 for adults and 12 to 20 for infants and children.

The American Heart Association’s 2010 guidelines changed the order to “CAB” instead of “ABC.” Here is a step-by-step guide for the new CPR sequence:

  1. Call 911 or ask someone else to do so.
  2. Try to get the person to respond.
  3. If the collapsed person doesn’t respond, assess circulation by checking for the carotid artery closest to the rescuer for the presence of a pulse. If lying prone (facedown), roll the person onto his/her back (face up).
  4. Start chest compressions. Place the heel of your hand on the center of the victim’s chest. Put your other hand on top of the first with your fingers interlaced.
  5. Press down so you compress the chest at least 2 inches in adults and children and at least 1.5 inches in infants at a rate of at least 100 per minute. (That’s about as fast as the beat of the Bee Gees song “Stayin’ Alive.”)
  6. If you’re trained in CPR, open the airway with a head tilt and chin lift to administer breaths. Although this is the preferred method, there is a concern of causing further complications if the patient has a cervical spine injury. If there is the possibility of a cervical spine injury, use the jaw-thrust maneuver instead.
  7. Pinch the victim’s nose closed. Take a normal breath, cover the victim’s mouth with yours to create an airtight seal, and then give two 1-second breaths as you watch for the chest to rise.
  8. Continue compressions and breaths—30 compressions, two breaths—until help arrives.

For sudden collapse in victims of all ages, the single rescuer should notify EMS (emergency medical services) and get the AED (automated external defibrillator), if available, and then begin CPR and use the AED. For unresponsive adult victims with a probable asphyxial arrest, a single rescuer should notify EMS and then should begin CPR. CPR should be continued until EMS arrives to take over. With an infant or child, the single rescuer should complete at least one two-minute cycle of CPR before notifying EMS.