The American Heart Association has released new guidelines for CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), the life-saving method to help people having a cardiac emergency.
Knowing what to do in an emergency could save a life.
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“The best, most updated information is necessary to make sure that we save every life,” Dr. Ashish Panchal, Emergency Physician with The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, said.
Panchal is one of the writers of the updated guidelines, which begin with new guidelines on choking in conscious children and adults.
It’s recommended that the patient receive alternating five back blows followed by five abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive.
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“With infants, we do 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts with the heel of your arm to relieve that foreign body, and this is the way that we could actually get them breathing again,” Panchal said.
Every year in the U.S., about 350,000 people go into cardiac arrest outside of a hospital because acting quickly can mean the difference between life and death.
The updated guidelines say CPR can effectively be taught to children 12 years and older.
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The guidelines also recommend support for more CPR training in the community.
“Once somebody suddenly collapses for no apparent reason, call 911, push hard and fast. Even if you don’t know what you’re doing, then the Responder on the phone, that dispatcher will help you walk through this so that you can save this person’s life,” Panchal said.
You can find a local CPR class through the American Heart Association by clicking here.
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