Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a lifesaving technique useful in many emergencies, including a heart attack or near drowning, in which someone’s breathing or heartbeat has stopped. The American Heart Association recommends that everyone — untrained bystanders and medical personnel alike — begin CPR with chest compressions.
It’s far better to do something than to do nothing at all if you’re fearful that your knowledge or abilities aren’t 100 percent complete. Remember, the difference between your doing something and doing nothing could be someone’s life.
Here’s advice from the American Heart Association:
- Untrained. If you’re not trained in CPR, then provide hands-only CPR. That means uninterrupted chest compressions of 100 to 120 a minute until paramedics arrive (described in more detail below). You don’t need to try rescue breathing.
- Trained and ready to go. If you’re well-trained and confident in your ability, check to see if there is a pulse and breathing. If there is no breathing or a pulse within 10 seconds, begin chest compressions. Start CPR with 30 chest compressions before giving two rescue breaths.
- Trained but rusty. If you’ve previously received CPR training but you’re not confident in your abilities, then just do chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 a minute. (Details described below.)
The above advice applies to adults, children and infants needing CPR, but not newborns (infants up to 4 weeks old).
CPR can keep oxygenated blood flowing to the brain and other vital organs until more definitive medical treatment can restore a normal heart rhythm.
When the heart stops, the lack of oxygenated blood can cause brain damage in only a few minutes. A person may die within eight to 10 minutes.
To learn CPR properly, take an accredited first-aid training course, including CPR and how to use an automated external defibrillator (AED). If you are untrained and have immediate access to a phone, call 911 or your local emergency number before beginning CPR. The dispatcher can instruct you in the proper procedures until help arrives.
Before you begin
Before starting CPR, check:
- Is the environment safe for the person?
- Is the person conscious or unconscious?
- If the person appears unconscious, tap or shake his or her shoulder and ask loudly, “Are you OK?”
- If the person doesn’t respond and two people are available, have one person call 911 or the local emergency number and get the AED, if one is available, and have the other person begin CPR.
- If you are alone and have immediate access to a telephone, call 911 or your local emergency number before beginning CPR. Get the AED, if one is available.
- As soon as an AED is available, deliver one shock if instructed by the device, then begin CPR.
