A Lifesaving Manuever that Could Come in Handy

I never knew how important it is for a person to know CPR until I was forced into a situation where I was needed to save someone's life. We were at the lake one Saturday and my mom went into cardiac arrest. Needless to say, never having taken a CPR class in my life, I had no idea what to do. It was very lucky for my mom that there was someone there who did. I'll forever be grateful that this person had the forethought to take CPR classes which saved my moms life. Ask yourself if you would know what to do to save your loved ones life if they needed you? That's a very scary thought and if your answer is no, then you really should think about taking a CPR class immediately, you never know just when you may need it.

The American Heart Association reports that over 300,000 Americans suffer from cardiac arrests every year, out of those people fewer than 8% survive. But those numbers could improve dramatically if more people would just go take a class in CPR and be prepared to know what to do immediately if you are ever needed. The first step is to know the signs that someone will show if they are in cardiac arrest. They will lose consciousness, turn very pale, collapse and not be breathing. If you see this happen to someone, immediately call 911 and then proceed to follow the operators instructions or do what you have been trained to do. If you are in a public place that has a defibrillator, call for someone who has access to it so that it can be used at once. This device delivers a shock that restarts the heart immediately, some are even simple enough to use without any medical training at all. And the best part for those who have no idea what we're doing, if the device detects a heartbeat it wont work and once you turn it on the AED'S commands will take you through the process of using it step by step. If there is no defibrillator available, then immediately begin CPR. Even if you haven't previously taken a course, you can still perform this life saving maneuver. Place the heel of one hand in the center of the victims chest, then place your other hand over it and push down firmly, the most effective rate is 100 compressions per minute. Knowing CPR and being to perform it immediately could mean the difference between life and death for someone. If you would like to learn more about CPR visit www.americanheart.com.