The Bethlen Home Messenger, 1992-1993 (1-4. szám)

1993-06-01 / 3. szám

American Heart Association

CPR Getting To Be Easier Done Than Said — To Save Lives

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation ma}’ be easier to perform than pronounce.

At least that's the hope of the American Heart Association, which has recently changed several CPR guidelines.

If you are among the more than 5 million people each year who have received CPR training from American Heart Association or American Red Cross instructors, it ma}’ be time to be recertified. The training is still simple, quick and inexpensive.

If you don’t know CPR, it’s a good idea to learn. You could help save lives. In fact, CPR may help preserve the lives of Í ()(),()()() to 200,000 Americans each year.

On the other hand, about two-thirds of deaths from heart attack occur before the victim reaches the hospital. Other causes of sudden death include poisoning, drowning, choking, suffocation, electrocution and smoke inhalation.

To get an idea of how CPR can help save a life, consider these two definitions: •

• Clinical death means that the heartbeat and breathing

have stopped. It’s considered “near” or “apparent” death. It may be averted or reversed.

• Biological death is permanent brain death due to lack

of oxygen. It’s final.

Thus, it’s a matter of life or death if you know — and use — CPR promptly during the first few minutes of clinical death. In fact, when CPR is started within four minutes, the victim's chances of leaving the hospital alive are four times greater than if the victim didn't receive CPR until after four minutes.

Besides speed in starting CPR, getting specialized medical care for victims is key to saving lives. That's when it's important to use the chain of survival. The life-saving steps include early access, early CPR, early defibrillation and early advanced care.

So learn an easy task that makes life — and death — less difficult. For more information on CPR training, contact your local American Heart Association or call 1 -8()0-AHA-USA 1 ( 1 -800-242- 8721).

©1993, American Heart Association