Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is a technique that combines pumping a victim's chest and mouth-to-mouth breathing, for the purpose of resuscitating a victim after a breathing or cardiac incident, according to the American Heart Association. CPR can help keep blood flowing to the brain and other organs until normal heart function is restored, according to the Mayo Clinic. This can help prevent brain damage and eventually death. Organizations such as the American Red Cross offer training in CPR.
Who Should Help
Even if you're not trained in CPR, it's better to try to help a victim of a cardiac of breathing incident than to do nothing at all. The difference between action and inaction could mean the difference between life and death for the victim, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you're not trained in CPR, or if you've received training but don't feel confident in your abilities, the American Heart Association recommends simply doing chest compressions, without mouth-to-mouth breathing, at the rate of 100 per minute until paramedics arrive. For those who are trained in CPR, compressions should be alternated with mouth-to-mouth breathing, as is taught in standard CPR classes.
Before You Start
Determine whether the victim is conscious. If the patient is unresponsive, have another bystander call 911, or, if you're alone and have access to a phone, call 911 then begin CPR. The exception to this rule, according to the Mayo Clinic, is if you believe a person is unconscious due to suffocation, as in the case of drowning. In this case, you should perform CPR for one minute, then call 911.
Clear the Airway
The first step in CPR is clearing the victim's airway. Put the patient on his back, kneel beside him, gently tilt his head back, then gently tilt his chin forward to open the airway. Listen for normal breathing. If the victim isn't breathing or is gasping or otherwise breathing abnormally--and you are trained in CPR--you should proceed to mouth-to-mouth breathing, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you haven't been trained, and if you think the person has had a heart attack, begin chest compressions instead.
Breathing
If you're trained in CPR, use the following technique to breathe for the victim: With the airway open--head back and chin tilted down--close the victim's nostrils by pinching the nose and position your mouth over the victim's creating a seal. Give two rescue breaths, each lasting one second. During the first breath, watch to see if the victim's chest rises. If it doesn't, prior to giving the second rescue breath, attempt to open the airway again by tilting the head back and lifting the victim's chin.
Begin Compressions
After giving two rescue breaths, begin chest compressions on the victim. Begin by placing the heel of one hand on the victim's chest, centered between his nipples. Cover your first hand with your other hand, straighten your elbows and kneel so that your shoulders are directly above your hands. Using your upper body weight, compress the chest two inches, pushing hard, at the rate of 100 compressions per minute. Give 30 compressions, then give two rescue breaths again, if you're doing the breathing portion of CPR. This is one cycle.
AED Use
If the victim hasn't moved after five cycles or two minutes, and an automatic external defibrillator, or AED, is available, follow the directions for use on the device, then resume CPR with chest compressions. A 911 operator may be able to help guide you through AED use and compressions if you're untrained.
CPR for Infants and Children
Performing CPR on a child between the ages of 1 and 8 is similar to performing CPR on an adult, except that you should perform five cycles of CPR before calling 911; use only one hand to perform chest compressions; and breathe less forcefully. For an infant under the age of 1, most cardiac arrests occur from choking or drowning. If the baby is choking, perform first aid for choking; otherwise perform CPR. Unlike CPR for an adult, CPR for a baby involves delivering gentle puffs of air from your cheeks, instead of your lungs, and using two fingers, rather than two hands, to compress the chest to approximately one third to one half the depth of the chest.
