How to Perform Bystander CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency intervention, done to preserve the circulation to the brain until the provision of advanced life support. The common perception is that CPR can be done by medical professionals only. However, bystander CPR is now gaining popularity as the public is becoming aware of its benefits. This article will guide you about the mechanism of CPR and its performance in the out-of-hospital setting.

Why Is CPR Crucial For Saving Life?

The cessation of blood supply from the heart due to cardiac or non-cardiac reasons deprives organs of oxygen. Most of your body organs are resilient and can tolerate oxygen deprivation for some time. However, the brain is fragile and needs resumption of oxygen supply within a few minutes. All your vital functions, including breathing, are controlled by the brain. So, it is understandable that your life and recovery after a cardiac event can be guaranteed by keeping the brain oxygenated. CPR helps you in achieving that.

How Does CPR Work?

CPR is done by recurring chest compressions on the sternum (chest bone connecting your two rib cages). It increases the pressure of your chest cavity and squeezes your heart. The external pressure forces your heart to push blood towards the brain and other vital organs through arteries. Professional CPR is combined with ventilation of lungs through oxygen supply. It means that after every 30 compressions, two breaths are delivered to the patient. However, CPR with chest compression only also proves helpful.

Is Bystander CPR Effective?

When a person suffers cardiac arrest out of the hospital, emergency services are called immediately. But it takes at least 6-8 minutes for the emergency services to reach. However, you can use this duration to your advantage. During this time, if a witness initiates CPR (with or without an AED), the chain of survival establishes and buys time until the advanced interventions. You can increase the rate of survival by 10% per minute with an immediate CPR done by a bystander. Overall, it also doubles the possibility of saving lives and getting favorable outcomes during the recovery period.

How To Perform out-of-hospital CPR?

The American Heart Association describes the process using letters C-A-B:

  • C-Compressions
  • A-Airway
  • B-Breathing

Airway and breathing are done by medical professionals. It is also difficult to manage ventilation with compressions so, people often worry that out-of-hospital CPR has no benefit. However, evidence suggests that you can gain better results with compression only CPR in out-of-hospital settings.  

  1. Lay the person on a firm surface or ground
  2. Kneel on the side, next to his shoulders or neck
  3. Put the heel of your dominant hand on the sternum located in the center of the chest
  4. Place your other hand on the top of the dominant hand and interlock your fingers
  5. Position yourself by straightening your elbows and shoulders directly above your hands
  6. Compress by using the weight of your upper body (not arms only)
  7. Compression should be at least 2 inches (5cm) deep but should not exceed 2.4 inches (around 6cm)
  8. Compress constantly at a speed of 100 to 120 compressions per minute

Keep compressing until you see a movement or sign of breathing. American Heart Association also recommends using music for this purpose. You can increase the efficiency of chest compressions by an upbeat song like “Stayin’ Alive” by Bee Gees or “Walk in line” by Johny Cash. It helps you feel more confident about doing CPR and gain the correct speed for the resuscitation.

About The Myra Logan Heart Fund

AEDs save lives. Of the 424,000 cases of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests that happen annually in the United States, only 10% of victims survive. The chances of survival increase from 6% to 74% if an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) is used to deliver shock therapy within three to five minutes of a heart attack, but tragically only a tiny fraction of cardiac arrest victims in the United States ever get the immediate help they need.

The Myra Logan Heart Fund’s mission is to get an AED into every home, office and school. Its purpose is to educate the public about the importance of AEDs, increase their accessibility, and empower people to save lives.

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