2010 Guidelines for CPR

The American Heart Association is the

nation's leader in life saving CPR
training.

In fact, we write the CPR guidelines

for everyone: the public, doctors, nurses
and paramedics.

This year we've made a few changes so that
it's

much easier for anyone to save a life
using CPR.

Let's take a quick review of the new CPR
process and when to use it.

When someone's heart stops beating it's
called cardiac arrest.

CPR is needed right away when this
happens.

Cardiac arrest victims will die, if they
don't get help fast.

When cardiac arrest strikes, the victim
typically collapses,

stops breathing, or stops breathing
normally and can't respond.

>> Sir, Sir!

>> If the victim does not respond and the
victim is

not breathing or not breathing normally,
yell for someone to call 911.

>> And have them get an AED.

An AED is a portable electronic device
that

helps the heart return to its normal
rhythm.

If you're alone, call 911 and get the AED
yourself.

Then follow AED voice prompts.

If no AED is available, immediately start
CPR beginning with compressions.

Doing CPR is not hard, anyone can do it.

And now the American Heart Association is
making CPR easier than ever.

We use to tell people that the proper

steps for CPR are airway, breathing,
compressions, or ABC.

But we changed that order so that the
compressions come first.

It's now compressions, airway, breathing
or CAB.

This new order makes it easier because
anybody can

start out with compressions, even with no
CPR training.

Just push hard and fast on the center of
the chest.

If you haven't been trained, keep pushing
until help arrives.

When you give compressions, make sure you
push the chest down at least

two inches and allow a little time for the
chest to come back up.

Push as hard and fast as you can.

The perfect rate for compressions is at
least 100 per minute.

That's the same speed as the beat of the
song Stayin' Alive.

So try to keep that tune in your head, if
it helps.

If you've been trained in CPR, push on the
chest 30 times.

Then open the airway by tilting the head
back and lifting the chin.

This helps air reach the lungs.

Next, give two mouth to mouth breathes
over one second

for each breath and watch for the chest to
rise.

Continue the CAB cycle until help or an
AED arrives.

Use the same CAB cycle for adults,
children, and infants.

This is just a quick overview.

So to learn more or to sign up for CPR
training that can help you save

someone's life, visit our website, at
www.heart.org/CPR.