Average Victim Of Sudden Cardiac Arrest example essay topic
455 words
The average person may think he is able to perform CPR, but mastering this vital skill can save a life. What is CPR? CPR is an abbreviation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation. According to Nemours foundation Website, CPR is a combination of rescue breathing (mouth-to-mouth resuscitation) and chest compressions. Why is this skill so important? When a person cannot breathe or a person's body cannot circulate blood adequately, cardiopulmonary resuscitation can restore circulation of oxygen-rich blood to the brain. It is well-known that without oxygen, "permanent brain damage or death can occur in less than 8 minutes" (Nemours foundation Website n. p. ). The main facts about CPR (Facts and CPR Information Website n. p. ): - Sudden cardiac arrest is the major cause of high mortality in adults. Besides, the people with underlying heart disease are exposed to high risk of getting a sudden cardiac attack; - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation doubles chance to survive from sudden cardiac attack; - According to Facts and CPR Information Website (n. p.
), 75% of all cardiac arrests take place in people's homes; - The average victim of sudden cardiac arrest is a woman in her late 60's and a man in his early 60's; - Men have doubled chances to become a victim of sudden cardiac attack; - Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was first invented in 1960; We need to know that a person may need cardiopulmonary resuscitation when he suffers from drug overdose, heart attack, massive blood loss, carbon monoxide poisoning, stroke, to mention a few. CPR will be also needed to restore heartbeat and / or breathing following drowning, electrocution, suffocation, or choking. So, what are the basic steps on how to make CPR? The first thing is to realize whether it is safe to approach a person who needs your help.
When you approach the person in trouble, you need to evaluate whether the person is responsive. What does it mean? You have to look for such things like sounds from his mouth, eye opening, or any other visible signs like slight movement of his legs and / or arms. The next step is to define whether the person is breathing or not. In order to check his breathing, you can watch his chest for rise and fall of breaths and listen for the air going in and out of his lungs.
The special CPR courses teach people techniques to determine whether circulation or breathing is adequate. In case you are not able to determine the signs of breathing or circulation, you should start cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately and continue until help arrives (Nemours foundation Website n. p. ).
