Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

From ArticleWorld

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (abbreviated CPR) is a first aid protocol used for unconscious persons who do not breathe and do not have pulse. In general, CPR is used for persons who have entered a condition similar to cardiac arrest (also known as respiratory arrest). If the pulse can still be detected, but the person is not breathing, CPR is not required and the first aider should proceed to performing artificial respiration. Most medical and civil laws regulate the way CPR should be provided, and the guidelines for performing CPR are official.

Historically, it was used for quite a long time, and some even claim it was described in the Bible. However, the process was not accepted by the medical community as a valid procedure until the 20th century, and didn't become popular until the 1970s. It has been taught to people without medical treatment ever since, as chances are they will be near the victim in the crucial few minutes before professional medical help arrives.

It should be noted that CPR itself is not enough to resuscitate persons. CPR is useful in order to sustain a constant supply of oxygen to the brain until professional medical help arrives.

Effectiveness

CPR should be performed in the first minutes after the person enters cardiac arrest. If it is performed more than 15 minutes after the onset of the arrest, CPR is almost always useless, unless the arrest occurred while the person was in hypothermia. Hypothermia decreases the speed of metabolic processes, allowing the tissues to survive with less oxygen than in normal conditions. Most of those who are offered CPR do not recover completely or develop serious complications, but about 80% of those who benefit from CPR and defibrilation immediately recover completely.

Training

CPR is a quite simple procedure, not requiring previous medical training. However, it should be practiced regularly. Training is available through many commercial vendors, volunteer and government organizations. It is recommended that some employees (like policemen or teachers) or people who live in remote areas learn basic CPR techniques along with other first aid techniques.