CPR Saves Lives!
A short blurb about CPR; what it is, where it originated from and how it really can save lives!
Working in the EMS (Emergency Medical Services) Field on a day to day basis, I get the opportunity to teach and inform the general public about CPR as well as how to perform it. I decided maybe it is time to write a little something about CPR which is the acronym for Cardiovascular Pulmonary Resuscitation.
Image via Wikipedia
CPR has come a very long way throughout the years. It is constantly being revamped according to new scientific research and findings as they are discovered. In this article, I will discuss some of the history of CPR, how it has changed over time, what the current CPR standards are today, and most importantly how it can save someone’s life! So let me begin by giving you a brief overview of the history.
In the research I discovered the very first attempts in resuscitation really originated in Amersterdam, in 1767. The Society for Recovery of Drowned Persons, developed a treatment plan that is not unlike CPR. In fact 4 of their 7 steps we still use today. The Mouth to Mouth ventilation has been around a very long time, but it wasn’t until 1957 when the AMA (American Medical Association) accepted it. From what I understand these types of ventilations were often used in resuscitation of drowning victimes and newborn infants.
The method of chest compressions (the 2nd aspect of CPR) was an accidental discovery found by 3 men by the names of: William Kouwenhoven, Guy Knickerbocker, and James Jude. Even more impressive to myself is how they discovered it. While studying defribrillation in dogs, these men discovered by forcefully applying the paddles to the dogs chest they could achieve a pulse. They continued to study of how fast to press, where to press and how deep to press. They Soon after moved on to human trials. I personally find it very fascinating that such an important and world-changing skill we utilize everyday was discovered in this fashion.
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In 1960, providing mouth to mouth and chest compressions combined together (however it hadn’t yet been named CPR) was introduced. In 1962, the very first training video, “The Pulse of Life” was used to teach CPR classes. As research and findings continued throughout the years, the method of CPR has become more effective and is very widely used today.
I also wanted to discuss in this article the current standards of CPR, because as I mentioned earlier they are ever-changing. There are 2 organizations that teach CPR (The Red Cross, and AHA (American Heart Association). AHA is probably the most widely recognized. According the AHA’s guidelines, the current standard of CPR is 30:2. That is 30 chest compressions to 2 breaths, with 100 of the chest compressions occuring in 1 minute. Yes, that is fast! As of 2008, AHA is now stating compressions are the most important. AHA is now teaching, to the average bystander, to bypass breaths and do only chest compressions. The research states that because there is already air still within a person’s body, moving that air around is more important than adding to air already there.
Image by Army.mil via Flickr
Lastly, to put is simple. CPR is one of the most important things you can ever learn in your lifetime. CPR saves lives, that is really the bottom line. Our ancestors understood that, based on the history timeline. It has proven to be a very effective method of treatment over the years. I hope in reading this article your inspired and educated enough to venture forth and take a CPR class if you haven’t already done so. The more individuals that know this basic life saving tool, the better chance someone in cardiac arrest will have of surviving. I would even encourage you to visit the AHA or Red Cross websites listed below.
These agencies can provide more information about classes. Many fire departments across the world also delve into CPR education so I urge everyone to check with your local fire department as well.
History Research Reference:
Obtained by: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_CPR
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