CPR
CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation)
Time is of the essence for a casualty in cardiac arrest to ensure oxygenated blood reaches the heart and brain.
Automated external defibrillators (AEDs) give casualties the best chance of surviving cardiac arrest until medial help arrives. But cardio pulmonary resuscitation can buy some time until the AED arrives.
Treatment
If you find an unconscious casualty, check for danger to ensure that it safe for you to approach.
Try to get a response by gently shaking the casualty’s shoulders and asking loudly ‘are you okay?’
Open the airway by tilting the head back and lifting the chin. Check for breathing for 10 seconds. If breathing normally (gasping, shallow or irregular breathing is not normal breathing), check for any circulation problems like severe bleeding.
- If there is no sign of normal breathing, call 999/112 or ask someone to do this. Send for an AED.
- Start chest compressions. Place the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest, place your second hand over the top and interlock your fingers. Keep your arms straight and vertical above the chest. Compress the chest 30 times to a depth of 5-6cm.
- Place your hand on the casualty’s forehead to tilt the head back and lift the chin with your other hand to open the airway. Pinch the soft part of the nose to close it and place your mouth around the casualty’s mouth to form a seal.
- Give 2 effective rescue breaths – blow steadily and watch to see the chest rise after each breath. Do not take longer than 10 seconds to deliver the 2 breaths so that you can return to the chest compressions.
- Continue with 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths until professional help or an AED arrives on the scene.
Child CPR
For children older than 1 and up to puberty, there are some minor differences in sequence (although, if in doubt, continue as with an adult but with compressions to a third of the depth of the chest).
Children are at even greater risk of long-term harm from cardiac arrest than adults so if you need to leave the child to call 999/112, give 1 minute of CPR first.
- If there is no sign of normal breathing, give 5 initial rescue breaths.
- Give 30 chest compressions to a depth of one third of the chest – use one arm, straight, vertical over the chest. You can swap arms to prevent fatigue.
- Continue with 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths until professional help or an AED arrives on the scene.
Infant CPR
For children under 1, the sequence is similar as for older children, but the technique is different.
If you need to leave the child to call 999/112, give 1 minute of CPR first.
- If there is no sign of normal breathing, give 5 initial rescue breaths – seal your mouth over the infant’s mouth and nose and blow gently, taking care not to over-inflate the baby’s lungs.
- Start 30 chest compressions using 2 fingers to compress the baby’s chest by one-third of it’s depth.
- Continue with 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths until professional help or an AED arrives on the scene.
Compression only CPR
If you are unwilling or unable to perform rescue breaths, performing chest compressions is better than doing nothing at all.
- If there is no sign of normal breathing, call 999/112 and send for an AED.
- Start chest compressions. Place the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest, place your second hand over the top and interlock your fingers. Keep your arms straight and vertical above the chest. Compress the chest to a depth of 5-6cm
- Continue with chest compressions until professional help or an AED arrives on the scene.
