Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) is a critical emergency procedure that can mean the difference between life and death when someone’s heart stops beating. Whether it’s due to a cardiac arrest, drowning, or choking, performing CPR immediately can double or even triple a victim’s chance of survival.
What is CPR?
CPR is an emergency technique that combines chest compressions and rescue breaths to manually keep blood and oxygen circulating when the heart stops beating (cardiac arrest).
Why is CPR Important?
- Every second counts: Brain damage can begin within 4-6 minutes without oxygen.
- Survival rates drop by 7-10% per minute without CPR.
- Bystander CPR saves lives: Immediate CPR can double or triple survival chances.
Sadly, a very few percentage of cardiac arrest victims receive bystander CPR before emergency responders arrive.
When Should You Perform CPR?
Perform CPR if a person is:
- The person is unresponsive and not breathing normally.
- The person has no pulse or shows signs of cardiac arrest.
- Common scenarios include heart attack, drowning, choking, or severe injury
Do NOT perform CPR if:
- The person is conscious and breathing normally.
- There’s a pulse (unless they’re not breathing—then rescue breaths may be needed).
How to Perform CPR (Step-by-Step)
Check for Safety: Ensure the scene is safe for you and the victim.
Assess Responsiveness: Tap and shout, “Are you okay?” Look for neck pulse (carotid artery).
Check for Breathing: Look for chest movement and listen for breaths (no more than 10 seconds).
Open the Airway: Tilt the head back slightly and lift the chin.
Call for Help: If unresponsive and not breathing, call emergency services immediately or ask someone nearby to do so
Start Chest Compressions:
- Position: Heel of one hand on the centre of the chest (between nipples).
- Technique: Push hard and fast—2 inches deep at 100-120 compressions per minute.
- Allow full chest recoil between compressions.
Give Rescue Breaths (if trained):
- After 30 compressions, give 2 breaths (pinch the nose, seal your mouth over theirs, and blow for 1 second each).
Use an AED if Available
- If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is nearby, turn it on and follow the spoken instructions
Continue CPR:
- Keep cycling 30 compressions: 2 breaths until help arrives or the person starts breathing.
- If untrained or unwilling to give breaths, hands-only CPR (compressions only) is still effective.
For Infants (Under 1 year old)
- Use two fingers (or thumbs for healthcare providers) for compressions.
- Compress 1.5 inches deep.
- Cover the infant’s mouth and nose with your mouth for rescue breaths.
Conclusion:
CPR is a simple yet powerful skill that anyone can learn. You don’t need to be a medical professional to save a life, just the courage to act when it matters most. Share this knowledge with friends and family because the more people who know CPR, the safer our communities become.
Have you ever performed CPR or witnessed it in action? Share your experiences in the comments!
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