Page 18 - Sonoma County Gazette July 2017

‘Anyone Can be a Hero. Learn CPR.’
A story in the Press Democrat on May 22 told an amazing story of a 6-year
old boy who was resuscitated by a bystander after essentially drowning while playing in an apartment complex’s pool. The fact that this gentleman had learned CPR and was willing to step in prevented a real tragedy. This is essentially a reprint of an article I wrote in 2013, prompted by a similar situation when a life was saved.
What seems to help in improving survival for cardiac arrests is having non- healthcare people learn CPR and be willing to act when a life-threatening situation appears. Denmark took a special interest in increasing the public’s comfort with CPR, and they went on a training spree from 2001 to 2010. During that period, they measured an increase from 7.9% to 21.8% in the number of cardiac arrest patients who underwent CPR and arrived at the hospital alive.
Less than 8 percent of people in the US who arrest outside the hospital survive. Bystander CPR performed immediately can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival, but only 32 percent of cardiac arrest victims get CPR from a bystander.
Current Version of CPR:
In a cardiac arrest (the heart stops beating due to a heart attack), time is c ucial. Keeping the blood circulating to the brain in the rst few minutes after an arrest can make the di erence between someone coming back to their previous level of function or having serious brain damage or dying.
The way CPR was taught for years included mouth-to-mouth resuscitation mixed with chest compressions. This approach proved intimidating, and the current teaching is to perform uninterrupted chest compressions, without mouth-to-mouth. The most important thing when someone drops to the ground with cardiac arrest is to quickly realize what is going on and to jump in and start pumping on their chest.
The chest compressions should be at a rate of 100 per minute (sing the beat of the old Bee Gees song, “Staying Alive!), and they should be strong enough to press the chest down 2 inches. This has proven to be enough for the blood to circulate adequately to keep essential brain and body function intact. The goal is to keep the person alive until the ambulance can come to take them to get de nitive care.
A good link for CPR instructions: mayoclinic.com/health/ rst-aid-cpr/FA00061.
De brillators: We now can nd automatic heart de brillators (AEDs) in malls and other public places. These are a higher level of technology than CPR, but one that everyone can learn how to use. These machines can quickly assess if the person needs a shock to get their heart working, and then deliver the shock safely. Use of these machines can be the di erence of life or death for people with certain problems.
The good part is that bystanders who witness a serious heart situation can grab the machine, apply the pads and turn it on, and the machine analyzes the heart rhythm and can deliver the shocks. Ideally the operators should have received AED training, but untrained sixth-grade students have been able follow the instructions in su cient time to save a life.
A link for AED instructions: wikihow.com/Use-a-De brillator. There are also several real-life YouTube videos.
18 - www.sonomacountygazette.com - 7/17
Legal Issues: In California, Good Samaritan immunity is granted to those trained in CPR and “who in good faith, render emergency CPR at the scene of an emergency.” The law is not clear as to whether “non-certi ed” responders are protected when administering CPR, but there are no recent examples of anyone getting in trouble for trying. California’s AED law extends immunity to all who use an AED irrespective of training. Bystanders are not legally required to respond in an emergency.
Conclusion: I want to encourage everyone to get familiar with CPR and the use of AEDs. Classes are o ered frequently through the Red Cross and other agencies. Workplaces are encouraged to o er group trainings to their employees. Even if not trained, though, get prepared to do chest compressions or use an AED if you see someone who has had a cardiac arrest. You may make a di erence by saving the life of a friend or family member.