CPR: Why We Need to Know It

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)… we’ve all heard of it, but according to the American Heart Association (AHA) only about 30% of us are familiar enough to use it. Today we’ll talk about what it is, why it’s important to know and how we can get certified.

CPR is applied on individuals that have gone into cardiac arrest. The basic concept is to manually keep the heart beating and make sure that oxygen is making it into the lungs. Chest compressions are used to maintain blood circulation to important organs, such as the brain, while artificial respiration can be applied to keep the person breathing. If needed, a defibrillator and direct supplemental oxygen may be used to restart the heart and push fresh oxygen into the lungs. In some cases, a compression only technique is used.      

So, why is it so important? Well, for starters, it’s estimated that there are well over 1,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests per day in the United States alone. The AHA says that 88% of all cardiac arrest occurs at or near the individual’s home. This means that, more than likely, those affected outside of a hospital setting will not be near a medical professional when their heart stops. Fortunately, CPR given by bystanders can double or triple a patient’s chance of survival. Make no mistake, CPR does not guarantee survival, but it certainly gives the affected person a much higher chance of surviving.

While knowing what CPR is for and even how to do basic chest compressions and artificial breathing is useful, it’s just as important to know that there are different techniques for different situations. For example, CPR for a full-grown person is different than CPR for a baby. This is why it is important to learn CPR from someone that is professionally certified. Proper certification classes may take between 4 and 8 hours, but do help to ensure that we know how to correctly perform the potentially lifesaving act.

More information on classes available through the City of Claremore Fire Department is available on the city’s website (CLICK HERE).

Remember, we all have the potential to help someone in cardiac arrest. All we need are the proper tools and knowledge to use them.