Generally speaking, doesn’t take much to wow people and leave them breathless. By the same token, accidents occur quickly and can result in people not breathing. If they are not assisted immediately, they could be injured for life. Being able to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be the difference between losing an employee or visitor and making a friend for life.
When a person is unconscious, either from an incident, allergic reaction or other reasons, it essential to determine if the person still has a pulse. However, these days professional healthcare advisors, advise against having a layman determine whether or not there is a pulse. If the victim shows no signs of breathing, CPR should be provided immediately.
An average adult person can go without oxygen for 5 to 10 minutes maximum. But in 2013, only 47% of ambulances in Gauteng responded within 15 minutes (the target should be 70%) in rural areas, ambulances can take up 40 minutes to arrive. It doesn’t take a master's degree in rocket science to see that the numbers don't match.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency procedure that restores blood circulation and to stimulate a person breathing by himself/herself. Contrary to popular belief, it is not done to restart the heart: is main purpose is to restore (partial) flow of oxygenated blood to the brain and the heart which, ultimately, will extend the window of successful resuscitation and avoid permanent brain damage.
A lot of prejudice still exists around CPR. Some consider it to be difficult, while others are uncomfortable about breathing air directly in someone else's mouth. The reality is that it is relatively easy to administer CPR and that blowing air directly into someone's mouth isn't necessarily required.
It depends on whether CPR is given to a child or an adult. Generally speaking CPR boils down to placing the heel of your hand on the center of a person's chest and placing the other hand on top. The hands have to be pressed down 5 to 6 centimeters at a steady rate, at approximately 100 compression per minute.
After every 30 chest compression, two breaths should be given. To do this the person's chin needs to be lifted gently with two fingers and the nose should be pinched. You should seal your mouth over his or her mouth and blow steadily and firmly before checking to see if the chest rises. Two rescue breaths should do.
If the victim is not responding, the procedure should be continued until professional help arrives.
If the victim happens to be a child, it is important to try blowing air in through the mouth at least five times before starting to press the chest. If this doesn’t result the child starting to breath by himself / herself again, only one hand should be used to press the chest down to at least one-third of the depth of the chest. Only if you cannot press hard enough should you can use both hands as you would with an adult.
After every 30 chest compression, at a rate of 100 per minute, another two breaths should be given.
The success of the resuscitation is determined by the speed, consistency and depth of compression.
The average adult person can go without oxygen for only 5 to 10 minutes maximum. But would you like to be considered 'average'? Do you have the guts to call your partner 'average' ? Every year thousands of people travel to Cape Town and visit Table Mountain for the view from the top. The beautiful view is often described as being 'breath-taking'. Just remember that a round trip by cable car takes 10 minutes, ten minutes in which the breath can be taken away forever.
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