CPR

What is CPR?

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is used when a person's heart has stopped beating, called cardiac arrest, or when a person has stopped breathing. CPR is an emergency technique that keeps blood and oxygen moving through the body until emergency medical help arrives.

When someone's heart stops or they stop breathing, every second matters. Without treatment, permanent brain damage can happen quickly. If you know how to perform CPR, you could save a life.

How is CPR done?

The steps below give you a general overview of CPR. Reading about CPR is not the same as hands-on training. Taking an accredited course is the best way to be prepared in an emergency.

Before starting CPR, check the person. Tap their shoulder and shout, "Are you okay?" Look to see if they are breathing normally. Gasping or gurgling is not normal breathing. If they do not respond and are not breathing normally, start the steps below right away.

Call 911. If someone else is nearby, send them to call while you start CPR.

Send someone to find an AED. An automated external defibrillator (AED) is a device that can shock the heart back into a normal rhythm. It gives you step-by-step voice instructions. AEDs are especially useful in sudden cardiac arrest, when the heart stops unexpectedly due to an electrical problem. AEDs are available in many public places.

Position the person. Make sure that the person is lying on their back. Start CPR right away. Do not wait to move them to a different surface.

Start chest compressions:

• Place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest and place your other hand on top.
• Position your shoulders above your hands, lock your elbows.
• Push straight down, hard and fast to about 2 inches deep.
• Go at a steady pace of about 100 to 120 pushes per minute.
• Let the chest fully rise back up between each push.

If you haven't had any CPR training, you can do hands-only CPR for a teen or adult whose heart has stopped beating. Hands-only CPR uses chest compressions only, with no breaths, to keep blood circulating. Keep pushing until help arrives or the person starts breathing normally.

If you've had CPR training, you can give breaths along with chest compressions. After every 30 compressions:

• Open the airway by tilting the head and lifting the chin.
• Pinch the person's nose shut and give 2 breaths, each lasting about 1 second.
• Watch for the chest to rise.

Use the AED as soon as it is available. Turn the AED on and follow the voice instructions. It will tell you when to stop compressions and when to deliver a shock. Continue CPR right after.

Children need both chest compressions and breaths. Hands-only CPR alone is not recommended for children. Push down about one-third the depth of the child's chest. If an AED has child pads, use them. If not, adult pads may be used.

The steps above are an overview only. To be truly prepared, take an accredited CPR course and refresh your training every two years. Many community organizations, hospitals, the American Heart Association, and the American Red Cross offer classes.