Basics of CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)

In our day to day life, We may face with emergency situations when a person near might collapse or stop breathing and you don't know what to do. So I am jotting down some basics of Resuscitation, which everyone must know.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, commonly called CPR, combines rescue breathing (one person breathing into another person) and chest compression in a lifesaving procedure performed when a person has stopped breathing or a person's heart has stopped beating. When performed quickly enough, CPR can save lives in such emergencies as loss of consciousness, heart attacks or heart attacks, electric shock, drowning, excessive bleeding, drug overdose, and other conditions in which there is no breathing or no pulse. The purpose of CPR is to bring oxygen to the victim's lungs and to keep blood circulating so oxygen gets to every part of the body. When a person is deprived of oxygen, permanent brain damage can begin in as little as four minutes and death can follow only minutes later.

In our Medical practice, We have been thought to always remember the " ABCs of Resuscitation". It means first you look for the A- Airway, then B- Breathing and finally C- Circulation. Airway Implies to check whether any object, foreign body or food material is blocking the Oral cavity, Air passage or the structures nearby. Breathing is checked by putting your ears or hand in front of the patient's nose, if present u will feel the warm gush of air. And Finally Circulation implies whether the patient's heart is pumping blood to other parts of the body which is felt by checking the pulse, preferably the 'Carotid Pulse' in the Neck. Every time the Resuscitation done should be in this order, which is vital for survival.

CPR in basic life support
Always First step if you see any victim who has collapsed, immediately call for Medical Help.
In the meanwhile, you can resuscitate the victim as shown in the adjoining picture.

Figure A: The victim should be flat on his back and his mouth should be checked for debris, foreign body etc.
Figure B: If the victim is unconscious, open airway, lift neck, and tilt head back.
Figure C: If victim is not breathing, begin artificial breathing. It is done by closing the victim's nose with one hand, with the other hand open the victim's mouth, take a deep breath and blow into the victim's mouth directly as shown in the figure. Give four quick full breaths.
Figure D: Check for carotid pulse.
Figure E: If pulse is absent, begin artificial circulation by depressing the central bone of chest called Sternum. Remember while giving the thrust on Sternum you should use your heel of the hand and keep your elbows straight. The thrust should be directly from the shoulders. Take precaution that you don't press too forcibly or else you will break the rib of the patient. The sternum should be pumped at a rate about 100/min with sternum sufficiently depressed up to 4-5 cm
Figure F: Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation of an infant.
The Resuscitation is conventionally given in the form of 2 successive breaths for every 15 chest compressions

I hope this might have given you some idea of resuscitation, If you have further doubts, I will be grateful to help.