CPR is performed on people who are unable to breathe or have cardiac arrest due to something, such as drowning or a heart attack. By restoring respiratory and cardiac function, CPR can save a person's life.
CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) or also known as CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is a medical aid effort to restore the ability to breathe and circulate blood in the body.
Cessation of blood flow or breathing can trigger brain damage that can result in a person dying in a matter of 8-10 minutes.
With CPR, oxygenated blood will continue to flow to the brain and the rest of the body until the person gets further medical help.
Some Things to Note Before Performing CPR
Before giving CPR, there are several things you should pay attention to, including:
1. Check the safety of nearby locations
Ensure that the location and environment around the unconscious person is safe. For example, if the victim is found in the middle of the road, evacuate the victim to a safer place before performing CPR.
2. Check the consciousness of the person to be helped
Check the victim's level of consciousness by trying to ask her name out loud or by shaking her body slowly. If he responds, try to keep the victim conscious until help arrives. However, keep a check on his breathing, pulse, and response rate.
3. Evaluation of breathing
Make sure the victim is still breathing normally by seeing if the chest is moving up and down. Next, bring your ear to the victim's mouth and nose to hear the sound of his breath and feel his breath against your cheek.
4. Check pulse
Keep the victim's heart beating by checking the pulse on his wrist or checking the pulse on the side of his neck.
5. Call for medical help
If the person you want to help does not show a response or is unconscious, immediately call medical personnel at 112 or the nearest hospital and perform CPR until help arrives.
How to do CPR
CPR can be performed by anyone who is trained. This technique is divided into three stages known as C-A-B (compression, airways, breathing).
The following is an explanation of how to administer CPR to an unconscious adult:
chest compression stage (compression)
If the victim is unconscious and the heart rate is not detectable, the first step in CPR is chest compressions. Here's how to do it:
- Lie down on the victim's body on a hard, flat surface, then position yourself on your knees beside the victim's neck and shoulders.
- Place one palm of your hand in the center of the patient's chest, between the breasts.
- Place the palm of your other hand on top of the first hand. Make sure your elbows are straight and your shoulders are directly above your hands.
- Press the victim's chest at least 100–120 times per minute, at a rate of 1–2 pressures per second.
- When pressing, use upper body strength. Don't just rely on arm strength so that the pressure generated is stronger.
Check for signs of the patient breathing or showing a response. If not, you can continue the chest compressions until medical personnel arrive or start trying to open the victim's airway to give artificial respiration.
Stage of opening the airwayairways)
This stage is usually done after the compression action. To open the victim's airway, you can try to lift his head, then place your hand on his forehead. Next, slowly lift the patient's chin to open the airway.
Stage of giving artificial mouth-to-mouthbreathing)
After securing the victim's airway, you can start giving rescue breaths. However, this step is only done if you are trained.
Giving artificial respiration can be done by mouth to mouth or mouth to nose, especially if the mouth is badly injured or cannot be opened. How to give artificial respiration is as follows:
- Pinch the victim's nose, then place your mouth to his.
- Give the breath or air from your mouth 2 times while seeing whether the chest is raised like a person breathing or not. If not, try to correct the position of the neck or check again for obstruction in the airway.
- Repeat the chest compressions 30 times followed by 2 rescue breaths.
There's nothing wrong with equipping yourself with knowledge of how to perform CPR, because at some point you may be faced with a situation where this skill is needed to save someone else's life.
In conditions where a person experiences respiratory and cardiac arrest, you can perform CPR until the doctor or medical personnel arrives on the scene.