Drew Memorial Hospital

	Press Room

	Healthy Articles February '04

February, 2004

CPR

CPR is an emergency lifesaving procedure. Artificial breathing and heart massage is used to restart the heart and lungs. CPR is performed when the breathing or the heartbeat has stopped, such as in cases of electric shock or drowning. Permanent damage to the brain can occur if blood flow is not restored within about 4 minutes. Therefore, it is critical that blood flow and breathing be continued until trained medical help arrives.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is one of the most successful public health initiatives of the past 3 decades. Hundreds of thousands of physicians, nurses, allied healthcare providers, and emergency medical personnel have learned basic life support (BLS) and advanced treatment skills in American Heart Association (AHA) coursed. In addition millions of laypersons have learned how to recognize an emergency, access the emergency medical services (EMS) system, and perform CPR .

The Chain of Survival is a metaphor for the sequence of actions that will maximize survival after cardio-respiratory emergencies. Each link in the Chain of Survival represents a critical intervention. The AHA Chain of Survival. Each link in the chain identifies a critical intervention: early access (phone 911) , early CPR, early defibrillation, and early advanced life support. To ensure that survival from cardiovascular emergencies is as high as possible, the Chain of Survival must be as strong as possible. If ANY OF THE LINKS IS MISSING OR WEAK, THE VICTIM'S OUTCOME IS LIKELY TO BE POOR.

Did you know that Drew Memorial Hospital offers CPR classes monthly? We have currently 15 American Heart Association certified instructors.

CPR is simple and costs little but can cost everything when it is neglected. My hope is that this information will increase your awareness of the tremendous value of CPR. We want you to be a part of this effort. Enroll in a class by contacting Sherry Carson at Drew Memorial Hospital 870-460-3509.