What is CPR, How to perform CPR, CPR guidelines: All you need to know

Everybody started searching for CPR after footballer Christian Eriksen's incident on the football pitch during the Euro 2020 tournament. Footballer had a heart stroke during the match and fell over instantly. Thankfully his captain knew CPR procedure and started it immediately before the arrival of medical team. So we can say that this quick CPR by football player was proved vital in saving Eriksen's life.

So this arose the importance of CPR in our lives as everybody needs  to know what CPR is.

What is CPR??

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It's a life saving medical procedure given to someone who is in cardiac arrest. This first aid process is vital in pumping blood in the veins of the patient when his heart can't.

What is cardiac arrest:

Cardiac arrest is caused by a problem in the heart that causes the heart to stop pumping blood around the body and to the brain. This causes the person to fall unconscious and stop breathing. Without CPR the person will die within minutes.

How to perform CPR??

Starting CPR on a person who is not breathing on time can double or even triple the chances of survival.

CPR step by step:

1. Call 911 or ask someone else for the help.

2. Lay the person on their back and open their airway.

3. Check for breathing. If they are not breathing, start CPR.

4. Perform 30 chest compressions.

5. Perform two rescue breaths.

6. Repeat until an ambulance or medical team arrives.

How to give chest compression:

For an adult:

• Place one of your hands on top of the other and clasp them together
• With the heel of the hands and straight elbows
• Push hard and fast in the center of the chest, little below the nipples.
• Push at least 2 inches deep
• Compress their chest at a rate of least 100 times per minute
• Let the chest rise fully between compressions.

For an infant or child:

• For an infant, use two fingers
• Place your fingers in the center of their chest 
• Perform 30 quick compressions around 1.5 inches deep
• Press down hard and fast around 2 inches deep, at least 100 times per minute
• Let the chest rise fully between compressions

How to perform rescue breaths:

• Making sure their mouth is clear
• Tilt their head back slightly and lift their chin
• Pinch their nose shut
• Place your mouth fully over theirs
• Blow to make their chest rise.
• If their chest does not rise with the first breath, re tilt their head
• If their chest still does not rise with a second breath, the person might be choking

Guidelines for CPR:

CPR is needed when a person is having one of the following condition

• Cardiac arrest or heart attack
• Suffocation
• Near drowning
• Drug overdose
• Inflammation
• Poisoning
• Electric shocked

Remember not to start performing CPR if the person is talking or speaking verbally. 

Perform CPR only when the person is not breathing.