New CPR Tips

Do CPR the right way: 5 things everyone needs to know

5 potentially life-saving notes to remember about the new C-A-B method of CPR:

1. There are no mistakes when you perform CPR.
"One thing most people don't know, " Kleinman says, "is that there is almost nothing you can do [during CPR] to harm a person in cardiac arrest except delay responding."

Starting with chest compressions is now viewed by the AHA as the most effective procedure, and all immediate assistance will increase the chances the victim will survive with a good quality of life.

If one person calls 911 while another administers CPR, as Burns recommends, emergency operators will give informed instructions over the phone as well as dispatch aid to the scene.

2. All victims in cardiac arrest need chest compressions.
The AHA asserts that people having a heart attack still have oxygen remaining in their lungs and bloodstream in the first few minutes of cardiac arrest. Starting chest compressions first thing pumps blood to the victim's brain and heart sooner, delivering needed oxygen. This new method saves the 30 seconds that people performing CPR used to take to open the airway and begin breathing under the old guidelines.

3. It's a myth that only older, overweight men are at risk for a heart attack.
"Equal numbers of women and men have heart attacks," Kleinman reports. Sufferers are primarily adults.

Although infants and children are far more likely to require CPR due to accidents than cardiac arrest, it is important to know how administer care to them. (You can learn how to perform CPR on infants and children with this kit produced by the AHA or by signing up for one of their training sessions.)

4. Nearly all cardiac emergencies occur at home.
"Ninety percent of events take place at home. If you perform CPR in your lifetime, it's probably going to be for someone you love," Kleinman reveals.

5. Training is simpler and more accessible than you think.
Learning CPR has never been hard, Kleinman says, but guideline changes in the last ten years have reduced the number of steps and simplified the process even more.

The rest of the article here.