Let’s say you’re out with some friends and one of them suddenly collapses. You call their name, but get no response. You notice that their face is turning blue and pale and you don’t see their chest rising and falling. You go over to them and listen for a heartbeat, but don’t feel a pulse. You grab a phone and call for emergency medical assistance. Since you have taken a corporate onsite CPR training course, you are equipped to help the victim.
According to the Mayo Clinic, every year, more than 325,000 people die from sudden cardiopulmonary arrest, making this the leading cause of death in the United States. However, modern medicine has developed a number of tools that are helpful in reviving individuals who are experiencing sudden cardiac arrest. Many of these procedures do actually require medical training, and even in some cases, complex equipment. However, one of these procedures, CPR, needs no help from medical devices and can be used by someone who has only a little training. CPR training can be done through corporate onsite CPR training courses.
Difference Between Heart Attack and Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Many people mistakenly believe that sudden cardiac arrest is the same thing as a heart attack. However, this isn’t true. Sudden cardiac arrest occurs when the heart gets out of rhythm, which causes a disruption in the electrical impulses of the heart. This causes the heart to stop.
A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, is the end stage of heart disease. This means that over time, blood flow through the heart is slowed.
Both of these medical situations do require immediate medical care, but the results of an SCA episode are much less hopeful. Around five percent of individuals experiencing sudden cardiac arrest will survive. However, many individuals suffering from a heart attack will never completely recover.
When is CPR Appropriate?
Even though the prognoses of these two heart conditions vary so greatly, cardiopulmonary resuscitation can play a role in the individual’s survival. CPR aids in keeping the individual alive until professional medical help can arrive on the scene to provide more extensive attention such as defibrillation and getting them to the hospital for emergency surgery.
In addition to these cardiac events, CPR is also appropriate for medical events such as electrical shock, near drowning, and even carbon monoxide poisoning.
If you see someone suddenly collapse or if you see someone who appears to be lifeless, you will need to first check on them. If it is an adult, you should tap them on the shoulder or shake them, and shout “Are you okay?” If it is a child or infant, you should not shake them – instead, you should pinch them and shout.
If you don’t get a response, you should call for emergency medical assistance and then proceed to attempt resuscitation using cardiopulmonary resuscitation. One of the best ways to learn CPR and basic first aid is through corporate onsite CPR training courses.
The American Heart Association states that hands-only CPR is the best method for reviving a teen or adult, as they will have enough oxygen in their blood until help arrives and you will just need to facilitate the flow of that blood. However, rescue breathing may still be necessary for newborns, infants, and children as they do not have enough oxygen in their blood to flow to vital organs. A corporate onsite CPR training course will teach you the basics of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, as well as basic first aid. While you will not come out of these types of courses as a medical professional, you will know what you need to in order to properly respond to an emergency situation.
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