CPR meaning and CPR steps

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), this is a word that we have heard from the doctors, especially during an emergency. Many of us wonder what is CPR

and especially when somebody has seen a CPR being administered they often wonder what are they trying to do by compressing the patients chest. Well here we will discuss the meaning and steps of CPR.

Lets start with CPR meaning:

The name itself gives you an idea:

Cardio= heart

Pulmonary= lung

Resuscitation= revive

So CPR is given when the breathing and airway and circulation of a patient fails to work, this CPR is given to keep the circulation and breathing going artificially.

Now before we discuss the steps of CPR, we need to go through a few guidelines:

1.       Remember CABD

C= circulation

A= airway

B= breathing

D= defibrillator

These are the things you check before starting the CPR and CAB comes in an order while D can come anywhere through out the process.

2.       You must administer 30 compressions at the rate of 100 compressions/min followed by 2 breaths, this makes one cycle.

3.       5 cycles of compressions make one CPR.

4.       The brain starts to die after 1 to 1.5 minutes, thus the Cpr must be started as soon as possible.

5.       The brain dies at a rate of 10%/ minute.

6.       The compressions must be 2 to 2.5 inches deep

7.       The effectiveness of compressions is confirmed by the elastic recoil of the chest and capnography.

So now lets go through the steps of CPR:

1.       Kneel beside the patient, dab hard on the patients shoulder and ask loudly “sir are you alright” “sir can you hear me”

2.       If there is no response check for the carotid pulse, remember donot check the pulse for more than 10 secs and do not palpate both carotid arteries at once.

3.       If there is no pulse then if outside ask someone to get an ambulance and an AED as soon as possible, if in hospital tell a fellow doctor or nurse to call the code and get a crash cart.

4.       Start the CPR by placing both hands on the chest as shown in the picture below. Remember while giving compressions the elbows must be straight and you must give compressions by using the power in your shoulders and the upper body.

5.       Start giving compression and give 30 compressions at the rate of 100 compressions/minute followed by 2 breaths this makes one cycle, repeat this cycle 5 times.

6.       Then check for the pulse again, ask whether the help is coming or not and continue with the CPR.

The indications for CPR are as follows:

1.       Myocardial infarction

2.       Respiratory arrest

3.       Stroke

4.       Electrocution

5.       Drowning

6.       Epilepsy.

In all these conditions if the heart stops and breathing stops you administer the CPR.

Note: this is only an informative article on CPR do not administer CPR to anyone only by reading this article, for proper administration of CPR taking a BLS course and learning the proper method is very important. This article is strictly for informative use and please do not administer CPR to anyone unless you have taken a course to learn its technique, as you could fracture a rib or worst case kill a person.