Question about CPR: How many compressions, how many breaths?!
Question: I know you give two breaths and 30 compressions. But how many times do you do it? And I know it varies with smaller children... you give only two rounds of compressions and breaths. But how many times do you do it with adults? Or do you just keep going with both until the victim starts to breath again?
Answers: I know you give two breaths and 30 compressions. But how many times do you do it? And I know it varies with smaller children... you give only two rounds of compressions and breaths. But how many times do you do it with adults? Or do you just keep going with both until the victim starts to breath again?
While there is some variation between details and programs, the basics are (Red Cross layperson CPR)...
Once you determine the scene is safe and the victim is unconscious, you call 911 then check for breathing. Give 2 rescue breaths if needed.
For an adult, you then begin CPR at the rate of 30 compressions to 2 breaths, and continue until someone with more training takes over, the victim recovers, the scene becomes unsafe, you become too exhausted to continue, or an AED becomes available.
For a child or infant, check for a pulse and administer CPR at the same speed as for an adult. For this group, you do 5 cycles of 30:2 and recheck pulse and breathing.
The victim is normally NOT going to start to breathe. You should in general do compression and breath cycles for 4 minutes and then reassess circulation and breathing and then rebegin if the status is the same. Adults are NOT going to start breathing. Most adults need a defibrillator to change their status. So, usually you need to do it until you can't anymore or help arrives that is more qualified. Children could possible wake up, but usually they also need a defibrillator.
You give two breaths, then 15 compressions. You don't stop until medical staff arrives unless you have an AED, or the patient begins to breath on their own. CPR standards have recently changed, so you might want to log onto the American Red Cross or the American Heart Assoc. websites to see if it's on there.
First you establish that the patient is unconscious and then you call 911, after that you start CPR and continue until someone arrives to take over or until you can no longer do it or the patient starts breathing on his/her own. With children you do 2 rounds of CPR and then call 911 and then continue CPR same as adult.........
The new updated standards for CPR are now 2 breaths and 30 compressions for two minutes, about five cycles, (changed from the older 2 breaths 15 compressions for one minute). They (American Heart Assoc) found that continuous compressions and the maintenance of coronary perfusion pressure was of greater importance than rescue breathing or artificial ventilation.
That said, lay persons should concentrate on providing good steady compressions and not worry about getting in the breaths if they don't know how to, or are afraid to. Its one thing to take a written test and answer questions correctly for the BLS or ACLS certification card, its quite another when you're out in the street with a sickly looking stranger frothing at the mouth. So, if you're confronted by a real world situation and you want to help; doing good steady compressions even without ventilations until help arrives is probably the most valuable input that a bystander can do.
Generally, CPR only provides a bare minimum in terms of life support, until proper help arrives. In a quarter century of emergency care, I myself have not seen one person come back with just CPR alone. Not that it cannot happen, as isolated and rare cases of people regaining consciousness have been historically documented. My advice is, to do CPR for as long as you are physically capable or until help arrives. Statistically speaking, even with proper and perfect CPR, the recovery rates is a lot less than what the general public has been made to believe; just don't expect it to work all the time.
Good luck.
Ralph
what do you mean you only give 2 rounds with smaller children?...I think you misunderstand the process of when and how to summon 911....if you come upon a victim and someone else is around, have them call 911 and you begin...if you come upon a victim and no one is around to call for advanced help, the recommendation is to try 2 cycles first with a child and then go yourself to summon advanced help...with an adult they want you to summon advanced help first....I think the point is that usually with children the problem is respiratory in orgin, as opposed to adults it is usually cardiac in orgin...you may have success unblocking a child's airway or restarting breathing on your own....but you probably will not be successful restarting an adults heart without advanced help, like an AED or medications...after the 911 system has been notified, you continue CPR on ALL victims until the victim recovers, or you are too exhausted to continue, or advanced help arrives to take over...