RespiteMatch.com Health Blog

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) is a first-aid, life-saving technique that
can revive someone whose heart and/or lungs have stopped working. It’s an
artificial way to get oxygen-containing blood to the brain and other body tissues.
When someone stops breathing, time is of the essence, because the
brain may suffer permanent damage after only four minutes without oxygen,
even if the victim survives. Professional help is still necessary as soon as
possible after you successfully perform CPR.

Emergencies for Which CPR Is Appropriate

Emergencies that could stop a person’s breathing or heartbeat include heart
attack, electric shock, choking, a drug overdose, drowning, suffocation or an
auto collision.

The Importance of CPR Training

CPR might keep a victim alive until an advanced life support system can
take over. Experts estimate that more than 100,000 lives could be saved each
year if enough people mastered CPR. Three out of four sudden deaths are
witnessed by bystanders, few of whom know what to do to save the victim’s
life. However, if you try to use what you think is CPR without being trained
in it, you may do more harm than good. CPR is a complicated skill, taught
by certified instructors. The American Red Cross, the YMCA, the American
Heart Association and many other private and government agencies offer

CPR classes.

What to Expect in CPR Training
During your CPR training you will learn:
n how to recognize when someone needs CPR.
n how to check a victim’s breathing and pulse.
n the three steps for reviving a victim and how long you should continue those steps.
n special procedures for certain accidents or certain victims, such as infants,
toddlers, young children, pregnant women and obese people.
n when to call for further help.

Practicing CPR

Besides receiving verbal instructions, you’ll be practicing CPR on special lifesize
dolls, called mannequins, that simulate breathing and a heartbeat.
Because there’s so much to learn, classes can be spread over several sessions.
Refresher courses are recommended once a year every year after your training
to keep you in practice and to introduce any modifications in the technique.
You have a much better chance of saving someone’s life in or out of the
home by getting CPR training. Why not call soon to see when classes are
offered?

This information should not be viewed
as a substitute for the completion of a
CPR course taught by a teacher with a
current instructor’s certificate.