Would you know what to do in the event of a cardiac arrest?
- Adam Spears
- Apr 30
- 2 min read
When the heart stops pumping blood around the body, it is called cardiac arrest. A person experiencing cardiac arrest will collapse, cease breathing, and turn grey very quickly. If you notice these signs in someone, dial 999 for an ambulance right away, even if you just want to help the person first.
DRABC
Danger - make sure it's safe and that they don't have any injuries or anything that could put you in danger.
Response - Speak to them to see if they reply, and if they don't, apply pressure to their collar bones. ( If you receive a reply, they are still alive!!)
If there is a small response to your voice or pressure, they are not awake enough to keep their airway open - PUT THEM IN THE RECOVERY POSITION RIGHT and call 999 or 112 right away!
If you do not receive a response, you must:
Airway - Open the airway (2 fingers under their chin and hand on their forehead and tilt the head and lift the chin)
Breathing – Next, take a look at the entire torso. Look for breaths, to check if they're breathing, feel their breath on your cheek.
If you're certain they're breathing, Put them in the recovery position RIGHT AWAY and call 999/112!
!!!IF THEY ARE NOT BREATHING START CPR IMMEDIATELY!!!
How to perform CPR
Push hard and rapidly between their nipples in the centre of their chest, depressing down by 5-6 cms.
At a beat of 120 beats per minute, after around 30 compressions...
To give someone the best chance, you must do the following:
- To get the tongue out of the rear of the airway, tilt the head and lift the chin.
- Then take two breathes, locking your mouth around theirs and inflate their lungs like a small balloon. Ensure that their chest raises every time.
(By breathing into their mouth and by pushing on their chest, YOU are what is keeping them alive!)
Continue this for as long as you possibly can, if you are not alone aim to swap the person performing CPR every 2 minutes.
If an AED is accessible, USE IT!
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