Cardiopulmonary
Resuscitation
Cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) is used in a range of emergencies,
including heart attack, choking, and drowning.
In these situations, the person is unconscious
and has stopped breathing. Before you begin CPR
on anyone, however, you should call for immediate
medical assistance. The most effective way to
learn CPR is by enrolling in a class sponsored
by the American Heart Association or the American
Red Cross.
The goal of
CPR is to restore circulation. If you are unable
to find a pulse in an unconscious person, heart
compression is necessary to restore circulation.
These compressions must be coordinated with mouth-to-mouth
resuscitation: the breathing delivers air to the
lungs; heart massage pumps the oxygenated blood
to the brain
and other parts of the body.
To begin CPR,
place yourself at right angles to the person's
chest. Find the base of the breastbone at the
center of the chest where the ribs form a V. Position
the heel of one hand on the chest immediately
above the V; with the other hand, grasp the first
hand from above, intertwining the fingers. Shift
your weight forward and upward so that your shoulders
are over your hands; straighten your arms and
lock your elbows.
To begin pumping
the heart, shift your weight onto your hands to
depress the person's chest 1 and 1/2 to 2 inches.
Compress the chest 15 times in a slow, even rhythm.
After 15 compressions, breathe for the person
twice. Establish a regular rhythm of compressing
and breathing, counting aloud. If help does not
arrive in 1 minute and a phone is readily available,
call for an ambulance immediately--then resume
CPR.
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