ADULT CPR

Controllable Risk Factors
1. Smoking
2. Untreated high blood pressure
3. High fat diet
4. Lack of exercise
5. Obesity

Non-Controllable Risk factors
1. Age
2. Male
3. Race
4. Heredity/genetics

SECTION ONE: Know the signs

1.) Four most common life threatening emergencies
a. Heart attack
b. Cardiac arrest
c. Stroke
d. Choking with a blocked airway

2.) Heart Attack
Symptoms are:
a. Victim is usually awake and can talk
b. Severe pain or pressure in center of chest lasting several minutes
c. Nausea
d. Cold sweats
e. Light-headedness
f. Shortness of breath

3.) Cardiac Arrest
a. Often caused by abnormal heart rhythm called Ventricular Fibrillation. A
condition where the heart quivers uselessly and can’t pump blood, when blood
does not reach the brain; the victim collapses, becomes unresponsive and
cannot breath normally.
b. Not responsive/no heart beat
c. Could have occasional gasping breaths or no breathing at all.
4.) Stroke
Symptoms are:
a. Slurred speech
b. Severe headache
c. Blurred or double vision
d. Dizziness/falling
e. Weakness on one side of the body or face
f. Nausea
5.) Choking with a blocked airway
a. Victim cannot cough, talk or breath
b. Causes
1. Foreign body
2. Relaxed tongue in an unresponsive victim
3. Swollen air passage (allergic reaction or medical condition)

Adult Chain of Survival
Early access: call 911
Early CPR
Early defibrillation
Early Advanced Care

If they are choking, FIRST try to expel the object, if they become unresponsive:
call 911 immediately

ADULT CPR STEPS
1.) Make sure the scene is safe
2.) Check for unresponsiveness
3.) Yell for Help
4.) Phone 911
5.) Open airway, check for breathing (look, listen and feel for breathing!)
6.) Perform rescue breathing
(enough air to make the chest rise and fall)
7.) Give two slow rescue breaths
8.) Perform 30 compressions (30 compressions / 2 breaths)

Chest compressions
Place the heel of one hand on the center of the breast bone between the nipples and over the lower half of the breast bone/place the heel of the other hand on
top of first hand
As you look down, position your body directly over your hands/keeping arms straight, press downward about 1 ½ to 2 inches at a rate of 100 times per minute. Release pressure completely between each compression but don’t lift
hands off the chest.

Choking
Always ask the victim
Are you choking?
Can you speak?
I am going to help you.

If they can cough or talk just stay with them and let them try to get
it out on their own!