BASIC LIFE SUPPORT

“CPR”

1.WHAT IS CPR?

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is a lifesaving technique that is per- formed when a person’s

breathing or heart has stopped. The purpose of CPR is to move blood and therefore oxygen
(which your body needs to survive) to the brain and heart.

IMPORTANCE OF CPR

“The heart pumps blood through the lungs, where blood takes in oxygen and releases carbon
dioxide. This blood then returns to the heart where it is pumped out to vital organs—the heart
and brain—as well as the rest of the body. When the heart stops, blood flow stops, and the
person quickly becomes unconscious. Without blood flow, the heart and the brain quickly
become damaged due to lack of oxygen. The actions that make up BLS try to prevent or
slow the damage until the cause of the problem can be corrected. BLS improves a
person’s chance of surviving until advanced care becomes available.

Taking the right action quickly and confidently can make the difference between life and death
for a person dealing with cardiac arrest.

Keys for BLS:

Quickly start the Chain of Survival.

-early access
-early CPR
-early defibrillation
-early ALS
-Post cardiac arrest care

Deliver high-quality chest compressions to circulate oxygen to the brain and vital organs.
Provide proper rescue breathing.
Understand how to work with other rescuers as part of a team.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE IN CPR FOR TRAINED RESCUERS:

IF A PATIENT/VICTIM SUDDENLY DROPS UNCONSCIOUS OR IS SEEN UNCONSCIOUS:

1. Survey the scene to see if it’s safe to do CPR.

2. Check victim’s unresponsiveness. check pulse not more than 10 seconds.
3. Call for help; activate the emergency medical services
4. Start chest compressions. Place the heel of your hand on the center of the victim's chest. Put your
other hand on top of the first with your fingers interlaced.
5. Press down and compress the chest at least 2 inches in adults. Allow complete recoil after each
compression. Compress 30 times with both hands at a rate of 100 - 120/minute or more (Compress
to the tune of Bee Gee's song "Stayin' Alive.").
6. After 30 compressions, you can now open the airway with a head tilt and chin lift.
7. Pinch to close the nose of the victim. Take a normal breath, cover the victim's mouth with yours to
create an airtight seal, and then give two, one-second breaths as you watch the chest rise.
8. Continue cycles of compressions and breaths -- 30 compressions, two breaths - until help arrives,
until an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available,

9. if Positive pulse negative breathing, provide artificial breathing; give 1 breath every 5 seconds to 12
cycles.

10. position the victim in recovery position

THE NEW STEP BY STEP GUIDE IN CPR FOR LAY / UNTRAINED RESCUERS:

IF A PATIENT/VICTIM SUDDENLY DROPS UNCONSCIOUS OR IS SEEN UNCONSCIOUS:

1. Survey the scene to see if it’s safe to do CPR.

2. Check victim’s unresponsiveness. If unresponsive, roll victim on his/her back.
3. Call for help; activate the emergency medical services; call for an ambulance/doctor.
4. Start chest compressions. Place the heel of your hand on the center of the victim's chest. Put your
other hand on top of the first with your fingers interlaced.
5. Press down and compress the chest at least 2 inches in adults. Allow complete recoil after each
compression. Compress continuously with both hands at a rate of 100 -120/minute (Compress to
the tune of Bee Gee's song "Stayin' Alive.")
6. For lay or untrained rescuers, continue this Hands Only CPR - do continuous chest compressions
until help arrives, an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available or the emergency personnel
arrives, or the victim is revived back to life.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS
WHEN PERFORMING CHEST COMPRESSION

ADULT - BOTH HANDS ON THE CHEST 2 INCHES DEEP

CHILD - ONE HAND ON THE CHEST 2 INCHES DEEP
INFANT(YOUNGER THAN 1 YEAR) -2 FINGERS ON THE CHEST 1 1/2 DEEP
This maneuver prevents airway obstruction by the
epiglottis.
2. FOREIGN BODY OBSTRUCTION( FBAO)

"CHOKING"
Choking occurs when a foreign object lodges in the throat or windpipe, blocking the
flow of air. In adults, a piece of food often is the culprit. Young children often swallow
small objects. Because choking cuts off oxygen to the brain, give first aid as
quickly as possible.

The universal sign for choking is hands clutched to the throat. If the person doesn't
give the signal, look for these indications:

• Inability to talk
• Difficulty breathing or noisy breathing
• Squeaky sounds when trying to breathe
• Cough, which may either be weak or forceful
• Skin, lips and nails turning blue or dusky
• Skin that is flushed, then turns pale or bluish in color
• Loss of consciousness

If the person is able to cough forcefully, the person should keep coughing. If the person
is choking and can't talk, cry or laugh forcefully, "five-and-five" approach to
delivering first aid:

• Give 5 back blows. Stand to the side and just behind a choking adult. For a
child, kneel down behind. Place one arm across the person's chest for support.
Bend the person over at the waist so that the upper body is parallel with the
ground. Deliver five separate back blows between the person's shoulder blades
with the heel of your hand.
• Give 5 abdominal thrusts. Perform five abdominal thrusts (also known as the
Heimlich maneuver).
• Alternate between 5 blows and 5 thrusts until the blockage is dislodged.
"BACKBLOWS"

1. Lean the victim forward and explain what you are going to do.

2. Firmly hit him between the shoulder blades, using the heel of your hand.

3. After each back blow, check to see if the object has been dislodged.

“ABDOMINAL THRUST"
These steps should only be used when a person is responsive and older than one year of age.
To properly perform abdominal thrusts, do the following:

1.Stand behind the responsive person. Wrap your arms around their waist under their ribcage.

2.Put the side of your fist above the person’s navel in the middle of their belly. Do not press on
the lower part of the sternum
 3.With your other hand, hold the first fist and press forcefully into the person’s abdomen and
up toward their chest

4.Continue performing these thrusts until the obstruction is relieved or until the person
becomes unresponsive.

4.PERFORM CPR IF THE VICTIMS BECOMES UNRESPONSIVE.

“f you can see a foreign object in the individual’s mouth and can easily remove it, then do
it. Watch and feel for breathing to begin. If the individual does not begin breathing,
continue to provide CPR and rescue breaths until help arrives.”

REFERENCES:

FIRST AID,SURVIVAL AND CPR HOME AND FIELD POCKET GUIDE

BLS BY DR. KARL DISQUE

MEDSCAPE

PHILIPPINE HEART ASSOCIATION