What is CPR?

Everything You Need to Know About CPR

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It can help with cardiac arrest, which occurs when the heart stops or is unable to pump enough blood to the brain or other vital organs.

CPR facilitates the flow of blood and oxygen throughout the body. It is a key life-saving ability that can increase a person's chances of survival twofold or threefold. Thus, it is essential to understand the different ways of performing CPR and how to do them.

Keep reading for more insight.

Understanding CPR

CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a life-saving technique used when someone's heart stops beating, allowing you to help restore circulation and breathing. It is performed to jumpstart their heartbeat and improve blood circulation.

Anyone can learn to perform CPR, which mainly relies on chest compressions. These compressions help the blood reach the vital organs until the heart begins working regularly again. When you carry out rescue breaths, you help increase the blood oxygen of the person in cardiac arrest.

A person needs CPR if all of the following factors occur at the same time:

• They collapse
• They don’t respond
• They aren’t breathing
• They don’t have a pulse

Receiving CPR during cardiac arrest with other vital care can significantly increase your chances of living.

What are the Different Ways to Perform CPR?

CPR is generally performed in 2 primary forms:

1. Hands-only CPR: This involves pushing forcefully and rapidly in the center of the chest at a rate of about 120 compressions per minutewith a depth of 5–6 cm (2–2.4 inches) for adults. Allow full chest recoil between compressions.
2. CPR with Breaths: It includes chest compressions followed by a short pause to deliver two mouth-to-mouth rescue breaths. These breaths should be given after every 30 compressions, which typically take around 20 seconds to complete.

Studies conclude that the first few minutes of hands-only CPR are as effective in adults during a cardiac arrest as standard CPR. This is relevant for care given outside of a hospital.

How to Perform CPR?

CPR includes both rescue breathing and applying pressure to the victim's chest. Chest compressions should only be performed by someone who knows how to do it. Here’s how you perform the two forms of CPR:

1. Chest Compressions (Hands-only CPR)

Here’s a step-by-step process of performing chest compressions:

• Step 1: Place one hand over the otherin the middle of the person's chest.
  1. Children (1–puberty): Two hands (or one if small) at 5 cm depth.
  2. Infants (<1 year): Two fingers (or thumbs encircling chest) at 4 cm depth..
• Step 2: Use your body weight to push your hands down in the middle of their chest for a quick moment. Press down using the heel of your hand or the area right before your wrist.
• Step 3: Keep your elbows straight and perform 100 to 120 chest compressions every minute.

While giving compressions, ensure you keep the following things in mind:

• Ensure you press down about 2 inches with each compression.
• Before you continue with compressions, make sure to fully raise their chest.

Chest compressions can quickly become exhausting, so if others are around, ask them to take turns. Rotating every few minutes helps maintain effective compressions and ensures continuous care until help arrives.

2. Giving Rescue Breaths

If you are skilled in CPR, give the victim two rescue breaths while stopping the compressions. Provide rescue breaths at 30:2 ratio (30 compressions : 2 breaths) for all ages. Here’s how:

• Step 1: Gently pinch their nose shut, tilt their head slightly backwards, and lift their chin upward.
• Step 2: Blow a normal-sized breath into their mouth. Their chest should rise. If the person's chest does not rise, check to see if there is something in their mouth. Resume compressions after delivering two rescue breaths.
• Step 3: Until the patient awakens or other assistance arrives, keep performing rescue breaths and chest compressions in succession.

CPR is a life-saving procedure anyone can learn and apply during a cardiac emergency. Taking immediate action, whether through hands-only CPR or including rescue breaths, can significantly improve a person's likelihood of survival. Knowing how to do CPR allows you to save a life when every second matters.