If an adult is not breathing and has no signs of circulation, call for Emergency Medical Service or Ambulance if this has not already been done. Then begin Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
If a child or infant is not breathing and has no signs of circulation, give Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) for 2 minutes before calling Emergency Medical Service or Ambulance (if this has not already been done). Then resume Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR).
Child or Adult:
- Place your hand on the breastbone midway between the nipples.
- Use the heel of just one hand for a child, and place other hand on child's forehead. For adult, place other hand on top of hand that is positioned on breastbone.
Place your hand on the
breastbone midway
between the nipples. - Align your shoulder(s) above your hand(s) and straighten your elbow(s), using the weight of your upper body to do chest compression.
Use the weight of your
upper body to help
you compress. - Perform 30 compressions at a rate of 100 per minute. Count aloud at a steady and fast pace to achieve this rate.
-Child: Use one hand to give chest compressions, compressing the chest 1-1.5 inches each time.
-Adult: Use both hands to give chest compressions, compressing the chest 1.5-2 inches each time.
- With victim's head tilted back, pinch victim's nose, place your mouth over victim's mouth, and give 2 breaths for an adult or child.
- Repeat Steps 4-5 five times. This should take about 2 minutes.
- Recheck for signs of circulation and breathing. If victim does not have signs of circulation and does not begin breathing, continue CPR until the victim's signs of circulation and breathing return or until EMS arrives.
- Place two of your fingers on the breastbone just below the nipple line.
Use only two fingers when
utilizing CPR with an infant. - Place your other hand on the infant's forehead to keep the head tilted back and the airway open.
- Using your two fingers, give 30 chest compressions, compressing the chest about .5 to 1 inch each time.
Keep one hand on the
infant's forehead to keep
the airway open. - With the infant's head tilted back, cover the infant's mouth and nose with your mouth and give two gentle breaths.
- Repeat Steps 3-4 about four more times, which should take about 2 minutes.
- Recheck for signs of circulation and breathing. If infant does not have signs of circulation and does not begin breathing, continue CPR until Emergency Medical Service or Ambulance arrives.
You're playing your usual weekend pick-up basketball game with friends. Without warning, one of your teammates suddenly crumples to the ground. You scream out his name, but there's no response. His face turns pale and bluish, and you can't see his chest rise and fall to breathe. You listen for a heartbeat, but you can't find a pulse at all. You quickly grab your cell phone and dial 108.
Sudden cardiopulmonary arrest is the leading cause of death for all adults, male or female.
Fortunately, modern medicine has come up with a number of tools to combat cardiopulmonary arrest. Many of these emergency procedures require medical training and/or complex equipment, but one, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), can be used in the field by lay people with only a little bit of training.
n this article, we'll explore how this simple first aid technique can help save lives.
PLEASE NOTE: This article is not intended to be used as a method for teaching CPR. For proper CPR training, consult your local hospital or American Red Cross location for available classes.
