Does CPR Really Save Lives? SCA or Sudden Cardiac Arrest in US alone kills more than 900 adults. Out of 550000 people diagnosed with coronary heart disease, 335000 succumb to the disease each year. As per American Heart Association, 95% of Sudden Cardiac Arrest victims die prior to even reaching the hospital. Out of all these numbers, only 6% survive cardiac arrest. You can increase the survival percentage by getting trained and informed about giving CPR and responding to victims of cardiac arrest instantly. More than 80% cardiac arrests occur at home or similar private settings. Therefore, getting trained and acquainted with the basics of CPR and learning how to perform CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, will aid in increasing the survival rate and save people’s life to a great level! Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is inclusive of chest compression and mouth-to-mouth respiration. It was invented in the year 1960. Thorough its application, oxygenated blood is enabled to circulate to all the vital organs of a victim, especially, brain and heart. You can keep a victim alive by performing CPR, until defibrillation and other advanced procedures are used for treating cardiac arrest. Facts and statistics of CPR

• Effective CPR provided by a bystander immediately will help in increasing the chances of survival of a cardiac arrest victim.
• 95% victims of cardiac arrest die prior to reaching a hospital or medical care facility.
• CPR aids in maintaining vital flow of blood that to the brain and heart. It also aids in increasing the duration of electric shock provided via a defibrillator, thereby, making the process more effective.
• If a bystander does not perform CPR, the survival chances of a victim will decrease 7% in every single minute of delay.
• Within 5 – 6 minutes after a victim has experienced cardiac arrest and within that time span, no CPR is performed, followed by defibrillation, the victim might further suffer from brain death crisis.
• More lives can be saved; with proper knowledge and training in performing CPR because death from cardiac arrest is not at all inevitable.
• CPR is not only meant for resuscitating a victim of cardiac arrest. 7 million people, including children and adults suffer disabling injuries every year in their homes or within similar environments. This is caused by accidents that might require the use of CPR.
• In US alone, a life is lost because of a combination of accidents and heart attacks, every 34 seconds!
• As per studies, 45% heart attacks occur amongst people under 65 years of age.
• As per AHA, 1 in 6 men and 1 in 8 women, above 45 years of age have had stroke or heart attack.

Sudden death – Its causes that might require CPR –

• Heart attack
• Electric shock
• Allergic reactions of severe nature
• Drowning
• Suffocation
• Drug overdose

AHA or American Heart Association has been involved in providing education related to CPR only within the contours of public chest compression, in order to encourage more and more people to combat and respond to medical emergencies that require CPR and first aid performance. Most individuals or bystanders get apprehensive about medical emergencies and similar situations. They either fear handling a victim or lack the knowledge of giving CPR and responding effectively in such situations. For the first few minutes, a bystander can relax and gear up before responding to the victim because the victim has sustainable amount of oxygen in his/her blood within those few minutes. The most important thing to do is get the oxygenated blood circulated via the heart, brain and lungs of the victim, which is ensured when the bystander or rescuer starts giving chest compressions. Who can be saved through CPR? As per statistics, 4 out of 5 cardiac arrests take place at home. Thus, the person you can save will be someone known to you – an adult or child. Why should you learn about and get training in CPR? Cardiac arrests are not uncommon medical emergencies. They can occur at any time and any place. Even an individual who might appear to be healthy can suffer from a cardiac arrest or similar condition. Furthermore, cardiac arrest and heart attack are not same conditions. Sudden cardiac arrest does not occur out of any severe heart condition. It can occur out of electrical impulses, severe injuries etc. Therefore, it will be helpful for not only you but others around you, to learn at least the basics of CPR and techniques of performing the same on victims, irrespective of gender or age. Timeline of CPR

• 0 to 4 minutes, unlikely development of brain damage
• 4 to 6 minutes, possibility of brain damage
• 6 to 10 minutes, high probability of brain damage
• 10 minutes and over, probable brain damage

Vital facts of choking

• According to AHA, over 90% deaths due to foreign objects occur amongst children below the age 5 years, while 65% is amongst infants.
• Liquids are amongst the most common causes of choking, especially in infants.
• 19% causes of choking are due to candies, while 65% are due to hard candies.
• 160 children within the age 14 years, in 2000, died because of respiratory tract obstruction due to ingestion or inhalation of foreign bodies.
• In 2001, about 11% children were treated for choking emergencies.

According to American Heart Association, CPR saves more than 92000 individuals every year in USA. As per studies and research, knowledge and CPR skills succumbs to deterioration within 3 months after the completion of training process and this happens not only amongst regular people but professionals too, including nurses, and doctors. Therefore, you should opt for retraining CPR programs or recertification courses. There are myths surrounding mouth-to-mouth CPR procedure. Many are under the misconception that this procedure causes transmission of HIV, which is not at all or even 1% true! Myths and misconceptions surround CPR and AED. You can get a clear picture by undergoing training programs and learning everything about this life saving medical application!