Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, is a technique aimed at maintaining blood flow following cardiac arrest. More than 350,000 people suffer cardiac arrest in the United States each year, making it the leading cause of death in adults. Without interventions such as CPR, death can occur in as quickly as eight to 10 minutes following cardiac arrest.
Purpose
Following cardiac arrest, the heart stops and no blood flows to the brain and other organs of the body. The heart and brain, in particular, rely on a continuous supply of blood and oxygen. Interruption of blood flow can result in brain damage as quickly as four minutes following cardiac arrest. The goal of CPR is to continue to provide a small amount of blood and oxygen to the tissues to prevent permanent damage.
History
German physician Friedrich Maass is credited with the first successful resuscitation using chest compressions in 1892. CPR, as it is known today with integrated cardiac compressions and rescue breaths, was developed in 1960. The American Heart Association, a key player in training both health-care professionals and the general public, began its education programs at this same time.
Survival Rates
Immediate CPR can double or triple a sudden cardiac arrest victim’s chances of survival, notes the American Heart Association. Although CPR rarely corrects the underlying problem, it does provide the victim with additional time prior to receiving more advanced interventions such as cardiac defibrillation.
Timing
Traditional CPR uses a combination of chest compressions and rescue breaths. Chest compressions are performed at a speed of 100 per minute. The American Heart Association teaches students to perform compressions to the rhythm of the BeeGee’s song “Staying Alive,” which yields the appropriate compression rate in an easy to remember way.
Hands Only CPR
In hopes of increasing the rates of CPR provided by bystanders, the American Heart Association encourages you to become aware of a newly promoted technique involving continuous chest compressions, also called hands-only CPR. In this technique, the person assisting only provides hard and fast compressions to the victim without rescue breaths, which greatly improves the chance for survival for the victim compared to no intervention.
Training
The American Heart Association and Red Cross offer training courses for health-care professionals and the lay public. The American Heart Association trains more than 12 million people per year in how to perform CPR, while the American Red Cross trains additional 15 million in CPR and other lifesaving skills.
