How Much Do You Know About CPR and Defibrillators?

Although the method of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation was used in ancient times, it was forgotten until the late 1950s, according to the University of Washington. In 1960, several healthcare providers discovered that pressing on a person's chest could help circulate the blood in the body. The 2 methods—mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compression—were then combined as CPR. In 2008, the AHA revised its guidelines to include hands-only CPR. This version uses only chest compressions.

When a person goes into cardiac arrest, the heart stops beating, or stops beating effectively. This halts the flow of blood, according to the AHA. CPR helps a small amount of blood to continue to flow to the heart and brain until the emergency medical help arrives. When done correctly, CPR can double or even triple a person's chance of survival.

According to the AHA, you should yell for help right away and call 911 as you start chest compressions on an adult. Ideally, have someone else call 911 and get an automatic external defibrillator (AED) while you begin CPR. If you did not witness the collapse, begin CPR first, then call 911. Do CPR for about 2 minutes before calling. This is about 5 cycles of chest compressions and rescue breathing.

If the area is safe and you are not in danger, start chest compressions, pressing hard and fast in the center of the person's chest. The recommended chest compression rate is 100 to 120 per minute. If an AED is available, use it. Continue until the person revives, help arrives, the scene becomes unsafe, or you are unable to continue. Give rescue breaths if you are trained in conventional CPR (chest compressions plus mouth-to-mouth breaths) and you are confident in your ability to give this type of help. If you are confident, do cycles of 30 chest compressions then 2 rescue breaths. Otherwise, do chest compressions without stopping.

Death can occur in minutes if a person having a cardiac arrest doesn't get treatment. CPR can help reverse cardiac arrest. If you know CPR and stay up to date with your training, you'll be able to help a person having a cardiac arrest.

The most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation (VF), according to the AHA. A heart in VF quivers and can't pump blood. A person in cardiac arrest needs CPR and a shock to the heart (defibrillation). An AED and other forms of defibrillation can sometimes stop the VF quivering and allows normal heart rhythm to resume.

The idea behind the AED was to enable nonmedical people to help in the rescue of someone in VF cardiac arrest. An AED is about the size of a laptop computer. You attach the AED to the person, and the device automatically analyzes their heart rhythm. If a shock is needed, the AED makes that decision and tells you to stand away from the person so the shock can be automatically delivered. The AED gives verbal prompts to guide you through the resuscitation process.

If the person moves their arms or legs, they most likely no longer need CPR. Once emergency medical help arrives, they will take over the care of the person. If you are physically unable to continue, then you should stop. If no one else has arrived to assist, you can continue calling for help. Always make sure the area around you is safe to do CPR.