Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating and the victim loses consciousness and collapses. It isn’t always caused by a heart attack. Nationally, if a victim of sudden cardiac arrest collapses outside of a hospital, his/her chances of survival if a bystander does not start CPR immediately is less than 8%. You can double or triple a loved one’s chances of survival by starting CPR.
These are 3 simple steps to save a life if you see a teen or adult who has collapsed:
- Check to see if they are responsive and breathing normally. The best way to determine if someone is unresponsive and may need CPR is to tap the victim and shout “Are you OK?” while checking to see if they are breathing normally. Breathing normally does NOT include snoring, gurgling, or gasping.A victim must be on his/her back on a hard flat surface, preferably on the floor, for CPR to be effective.
- Call 911.
- Compress hard and fast on the center of the chest.Interlock fingers and place palm of one hand over the center of the victim’s chest.Keeping arms straight and elbows locked, push straight down hard – at least 2 inches. It is better to push too deep than not deep enough.The hands should not come off the chest or “bounce” between each compression, but downward pressure should be completely released to allow the heart to refill with blood.Push hard and fast in the center of the chest (about 100 times per minute) when doing compressions on an unresponsive victim who is not breathing, or not breathing normally once 911 has been called. Do not stop until help arrives, unless the victim begins moving or speaking.
Stop by our booth at the North Carolina State Fair October 12- 22, 2017, and we can teach you how to save a life!