CPR is not something you do on the living

I recently met a woman in a class who stated that she never performed CPR, but almost did.  I asked for more information and found out that she had looked out her front window one morning just in time to see a man collapse near her mailbox.  She said that she “would have performed CPR, but he was already dead”.  I think it is very important to remind people that we are NOT performing CPR on people who are living & breathing.  CPR alone, will not bring them back, but will provide oxygen to the organs that need it, especially the brain, until they can receive life saving measures  at the hospital and maybe actually survive with a quality life..

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Carol Theis
COMMENT (2)
Troy Bowman / March 6, 2012

Great point. I think it is very common for individuals to assume they should just do nothing or only call 911 and sit back and wait for the paramedics to arrive. That collapsed persons chance to survive may rest on you to start CPR immediately. Each minute that passes without someone stepping in dramatically decreases any chance of survival; by the time the paramedics arrive it is usually to late.

In-Pulse CPR / April 13, 2012

A person needing CPR is considered to be ‘clinically dead’. We perform CPR to force oxygenated blood to their brain. Oxygen is what keeps our brain from dying. If the brain dies along with no heart rhythm then that person is considered to be ‘biologically dead’. No medical procedure will bring someone back who is biologically dead.

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