The Life-saving Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Procedure

Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation or CPR is a life-saving emergency procedure performed when a person suffers a cardiac arrest. There was a news story recently about how a full term pregnant lady performed CPR on her husband who had suffered a cardiac arrest and saved his life, while waiting for medical help to arrive.

Is heart attack and cardiac arrest the same?

Though the terms are used interchangeably, there is a difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest, and it is important to know the difference.

Heart Attack

The heart is supplied with oxygenated blood through two major channels called coronary arteries and their smaller branches.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow through one or more of these coronary arteries gets blocked, thereby depriving the heart of oxygenated blood.

The symptoms of a heart attack are

Excruciating chest pain
Dizziness, fainting, sweating
Shortness of breath
Pain that radiates to the arms, specifically the left arm or shoulders

Cardiac Arrest

The rhythmic beating and pumping action of the heart is controlled by electrical impulses that pass through the heart. Basically, the heart beats because the electrical impulses compel it to. And because the heart beats, blood circulates throughout the body.

A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating completely and respiration also comes to a complete stop. A person in this situation is on the verge of death.

Cardio refers to the heart while pulmonary refers to respiration or breathing.

The symptoms of a cardiac arrest are

Loss of consciousness
Absence of respiration
Absence of heart beats
No pulse felt

In a nutshell, a heart attack is a blood flow problem, while a cardiac arrest is an electrical conduction problem

Margin Time

A heart attack, in most cases, is not fatal, if diagnosed and treated early. By procedures such as angioplasty, blood flow to the heart can be restored and the heart can function normally for many years.

But, in the case of a cardiac arrest, there is virtually no time. It is fatal unless immediately attended to. If you notice someone having symptoms of a cardiac arrest, or even have mere suspicion, it is best to immediately begin CPR.

The purpose of a CPR is to keep blood circulation and respiration going on, albeit artificially, so as to prevent irreversible brain damage, which can occur in as little as 3-5 min following a cardiac arrest.

A CPR is carried out only in the case of a cardiac arrest and must be done immediately

Overview of CPR Procedure

To help someone who faces this life-threatening emergency, it is important to understand the correct way to perform a CPR procedure, while waiting for an ambulance or medical help to arrive.

A CPR procedure involves a series of chest compression and breathing techniques to be performed on the patient and must be done in the correct sequence.

For a well-explained and concise written description of the CPR procedure, the link 7-Step CPR Procedure is a good resource.

Also, the video below on the CPR Procedure gives a good visual overview.