Compression only CPR
Whilst we are waiting for a defib to be deployed
or the ambulance service to arrive on the scene, sometimes we are gonna be in a situation
where there is no defib nearby. Also, we are gonna potentially be in a situation where
we are not prepared to do mouth to mouth. That may be due to blood, contamination, vomit,
or we are just a bit squeamish when doing mouth to mouth. What we are gonna do in these
circumstances is what we call compression only. Compression only will keep the brain
alive. We have talked about having six to eight minutes worth of oxygen in your blood
supply, but it is not going anywhere. If we don't do compressions, that blood supply really
does not go anywhere so the brain dies very quickly. You have got roughly 8 minutes to
keep this brain alive and CPR is very, very important in keeping the oxygen flow to the
brain. So if you are not prepared to do mouth to mouth, if you are untrained, you do CPR,
Chest compression-only CPR. If you are trained or prepared to do mouth to mouth, it is 30
compressions, two breaths. The compressions are exactly the same, central chest, 5 to
6 centimetres in depth at 120 per minute. However, there is no need to count your 30
to 2 because now all we are gonna do is continually non-stop compress the chest. What we are doing
now is basically replacing or aiding the circulation that the heart supplies, keeping the brain
alive until somebody else can arrive on the scene who either has an AED or an ambulance
arrives on the scene. And if we do that, we keep the brain alive and give the patient
a much, much better chance of survival. The brain is the target organ for CPR. If the
CPR is efficient if the CPR is in the right depth and the right speed, we give that brain
a chance of survival.
Compression-Only CPR: Keeping the Brain Alive
1. Introduction
Addressing CPR Challenges in Emergency Situations
- No Access to a Defibrillator: In some cases, a defibrillator may not be readily available.
- Avoiding Mouth-to-Mouth: Instances where mouth-to-mouth resuscitation is not feasible due to contamination concerns or personal discomfort.
2. Compression-Only CPR
Preserving Brain Function Through Continuous Chest Compressions
- Brain Oxygenation: Emphasizing the critical role of CPR in maintaining oxygen flow to the brain.
- Time Constraint: Recognizing the limited timeframe (approximately 8 minutes) to sustain brain function without circulation.
- Untrained or Unwilling to Perform Mouth-to-Mouth: Compression-only CPR is a suitable alternative.
- Trained for Mouth-to-Mouth: For those comfortable with mouth-to-mouth, the recommended approach is 30 compressions followed by two breaths.
- Consistent Compression: In compression-only CPR, there's no need to alternate with breaths; maintain continuous chest compressions.
- Target Organ: The Brain
- Efficiency Matters: Proper depth and rate of compressions increase the chances of brain survival.
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