Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a potentially life-saving technique to revive victims whose hearts have stopped beating. Anyone can learn to give CPR, but those who have been trained should only attempt this technique. People who know CPR may be able to save someone's life. CPR is useful when a person's heart has stopped beating, a condition known as cardiac arrest. Without a beating heart, blood does not circulate through the body. One of the main roles of blood is to carry the oxygen we breathe into the lungs to the rest of the body. When blood stops circulating, the tissues and organs of the body no longer receive enough oxygen. Lack of blood supply to the brain rapidly causes a person to faint or pass out. Within three to four minutes, the brain will sustain irreversible damage from a lack of oxygen. Death occurs shortly after.

The purpose of CPR is to restore the circulation of blood that contains oxygen. This involves two aspects.

Before giving CPR, it is important to establish that a person had a cardiac arrest and has not simply fainted. After a cardiac arrest, people will be unresponsive and have no breathing motion. The skin color quickly turns gray and may be blue-gray around the lips. No pulse will is felt and the best place to check for a pulse is in the neck, next to the adam's apple, though pulses can also be felt in the groin or wrist area. No heartbeat will be heard or seen when the chest is examined closely.

Placing the side of your face and ear over the area of the victim's mouth best assesses breathing. This allows a person to listen for and feel any breath. At the same time, a person can watch the victim's chest wall to look for the up and down movements that occur with breathing. If a person is breathing, no matter how slowly, then the heart will probably still be beating even if no pulse can be felt.

The first and most important thing to do once it has been determined that the person indeed had a cardiac arrest is to call for help. In most situations, there will be someone else around who can call 911 for emergency medical assistance. Once someone has been designated to call for help, CPR should be started. The victim should not be left alone. Without others to help or call for help, the victim has little chance of surviving, as a rescuer can only perform CPR for so long before becoming exhausted.

In order to provide CPR, a person must receive proper training. Untrained persons should not attempt CPR. The technique is fairly easy to learn. The victim is placed on their back as long as no head or neck injuries are suspected. The rescuer gives breaths to the victim by pinching the victims' nose shut. The rescuer then takes a deep breath, seals their lips around the victims' mouth, and blows the breath into the victims' mouth. Chest compressions are given using the heel of one hand placed over the lower part of the breastbone. The other hand is placed on top of the first hand to allow extra force to be delivered. Both hands are used to press down on the breastbone quickly and firmly repeatedly. When the rescuer is alone, compressions are done around 80 times per minute, with 2 breaths given after every 15-chest compressions. If 2 rescuers trained in CPR are available, one gives mouth-to-mouth while the other does chest compressions. CPR is continued until help arrives.

CPR is a fairly easy thing to learn. It can often be learned in one day, with a brief refresher course recommended every few years. CPR has saved many lives. If you are not already trained in CPR, consider taking a course. It may be your loved one that needs help some day.

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