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By Louis Neipris, M.D., HealthAtoZ writer
Each year in the United States, about 300,000 people die from cardiac arrest before reaching the hospital.
Using cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), a trained bystander may be able to get the heart beating again while breathing for the patient. CPR can save lives if it is started within five minutes after the heart stops beating. If CPR is done correctly, blood circulates back to the heart, making it pump again, and to the brain, preventing brain death.
Only about 6.4 percent of cardiac arrest patients in the United States and Canada survive. The American Heart Association and other organizations agree that CPR training for the public needs to be improved.
Changes to CPR
According to an international committee of experts, CPR is often done incorrectly. Not enough chest compressions are done, they are normally too shallow and they are done with too many interruptions. As a result, there is usually not enough blood flow to help the patient. Because of these problems, the American Red Cross has released new guidelines for CPR.
Several changes have been made to the 2006 American Red Cross course, including starting chest compression earlier and reducing interruptions.
Check for normal breathing for 5 to 10 seconds
The new method calls for chest compression to begin earlier than before. The rescuer spends less time checking for normal breathing, but still checks the airway to make sure it's not blocked. A technique called the head-tilt-chin lift is used to open the airway. The new guidelines call for 5 to 10 seconds to check for normal breathing. This is because rescuers previously spent too much time checking for breathing and would mistake gasping breaths (a sign of cardiac arrest) for normal breathing. This often made them think a patient's heart was beating, and they would delay chest compression.
One ratio to remember
In the past, different ratios had to be remembered for chest compressions and rescue breaths. For adults, 15 compressions were given, followed by two rescue breaths. For children, five compressions were given, then one rescue breath. The new ratio (30:2) is for both children and adults. After 30 compressions, two rescue breaths are given. This amounts to about 100 compressions per minute, with more blood flow to the heart and brain and fewer interruptions.
Expected results of the changes
These changes are intended to make CPR more effective and easier to learn. CPR, if done correctly, can double or triple the victim's chances for survival.
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This article was reviewed and updated June 2007.
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