5 CPR Facts That Can Save A Life

5 CPR Facts That Can Save A Life

​The following are five key statistics about cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and cardiac arrest which may help you save a life!

1. If you perform CPR, you can triple the person’s chance of survival.
According to the National Institutes of Health, early bystander CPR can double or triple a victim’s chance of survival after cardiac arrest. Research has continued to show that the average time between a call to first responders and their arrival on the scene is approximately 7-8 minutes. During those critical minutes, survival rates after cardiac arrest rapidly decrease.
Individuals who suffer cardiac arrest in a public setting have the event witnessed by bystanders. If one of those bystanders initiates CPR in the moments following the collapse, they increase the odds that the victim will survive the event and have a better quality of life afterward.

2. 356,000 people suffer from cardiac arrest each year.
According to CPR statistics from the American Heart Association, more than 356,000 cardiac arrests occur outside of hospitals in the United States on an annual basis. Nearly 90% of these events are fatal. Sudden cardiac arrest continues to be a national public health crisis, affecting up to 1,000 people every day and striking victims of all ages.

3. The compression to ventilation ratio is 30 compressions to 2 breaths.
If you encounter an adult who is not breathing and does not appear to have a pulse, combining chest compressions with rescue breaths is proven as the most effective intervention. The ratio is 30 compressions to every 2 rescue breaths for this situation.
If the victim is a child or infant, the ratio of 30 compressions to 2 breaths is the same if there is only one responder. If two responders are available, you can increase the ratio to 15 compressions to 2 breaths in younger victims.

4. For every minute that someone is unconscious and not breathing without CPR, they have a 10% less chance of survival.
During a cardiac arrest event, every second counts. One study found that for every minute a victim does not receive CPR, survival decreases by 7-10%. When CPR is administered by a bystander, the survival rate decreases by only 3-4% per minute from the time the victim collapses until defibrillation is provided.
Brain damage is another potential result after cardiac arrest. To increase the odds of survival without brain damage due to oxygen deprivation, CPR must be started within two minutes. After three minutes without CPR, lack of blood flow to the brain can lead to a brain injury that will progressively worsen in the minutes following.

5.  Many AEDs (Automated External Defibrillators) will talk you through how to perform CPR with the press of a button.
​An AED is a critical piece of equipment that may save a life during cardiac arrest. These devices are located in offices and public buildings and can be used by anyone on the scene of a cardiac event. While CPR classes usually include instruction on how to use an AED, many of the devices will also talk you through the CPR process based on analysis of the heart’s rhythm.
As soon as an AED is available, turn it on and begin following the voice prompts. Two pads are placed on the upper right side and lower left side of the chest. The pads will record the heart rhythm and the device will tell you whether the victim requires a shock. Before administering a shock, make sure no one is touching the victim, say, “clear” in a loud voice, and push the shock button.

Empower Yourself With Lifesaving Skills

We hope these facts about CPR have encouraged you to learn CPR and become a life-saver in your local community or workplace setting Help-A-Heart CPR, LLC a Central and South Texas leading CPR training provider, has various locations and flexible class schedules for your convenience. Our team of expert instructors makes learning fun and engaging. Register for a class today to become empowered with lifesaving CPR and First Aid skills.