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CPR Training Saves Lives Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an important skill needed for emergency medical situations whether in health care settings or in the community. Immediate rendering of CPR can be the difference between the very life or death of a person. Cardiac and pulmonary arrest are conditions that need the intervention of individuals equipped with the knowledge and skills in basic life support (BLS). You can’t just pump away at the chest of the person without ample assessment and proper knowledge of how to do it. Wrong procedures and protocols just might place the person’s life at risk even more! A proper CPR training can help you save lives! What is CPR? It is an emergency procedure performed in unconscious or unresponsive individuals with cessation of breath and pulse. CPR aims to provide artificial circulation to the body, especially to the brain by manually compressing the chest. This procedure is done until more advanced life-support measures (ventilator and defibrillator) become available. Why is it important? When a person’s heart stops beating, no blood circulates in the body therefore halting body processes. Breathing also stops and within 20-40 seconds, a victim becomes clinically dead. This is when CPR is of utmost importance because just a mere 4-6 minutes of oxygen supply depletion in the brain can be enough to cause extensive, irreversible damage. The earlier CPR is performed, the better outcomes. How is it done? According to the American Heart Association (AHA) Guidelines of 2010, adult CPR follows the CAB (chest compressions, airway and breathing) series of interventions. This procedure can be difficult to follow without proper CPR training. Here are the basics of how to do it:

First thing you need to do is to check for the responsiveness of the person. If person does not respond, call for medical help. While waiting for the team to arrive, proceed with the CPR. Chest compressions. Start giving chest compressions (at least 5cm deep) at the rate of 100 per minute. Airway. The airways should be checked. Look for visible breaks, obstructions or narrowing in the airways (nose, mouth, windpipe and lungs) that may affect the person’s oxygenation. Breathing. Rescue breathing is performed by pinching the patient’s nose, placing a rescuer’s mouth around the patient’s nose and mouth then blowing air. The rescuer should note the rise and fall of the chest for each breath delivered. Breaths should be given for one full second. It is a must to avoid excessive ventilation. How do I learn CPR? You can get CPR training from centers that offer a certified program. Local hospitals and even fire departments issue BLS and CPR training certification. The AHA releases updates from time to time so it is a must to have training from a legitimate and accredited institution in order to keep abreast with the guidelines on CPR. Is it important to have CPR training? Yes! Choose how you want to be in an emergency scenario: a spectator watching in dread and awe as rescuers try to revive a victim or be the passerby who becomes a hero overnight because you’ve saved a person from the claws of death all because of your CPR training.

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