Saving a life can be as simple as two steps.
Most people who experience cardiac arrest at home do not survive because they don’t receive CPR immediately. CPR can more than double a person’s chances of survival.
The American Heart Association suggests performing Hands-Only CPR on an adult or teen that suddenly collapses with these two steps:
- Immediately call 9-1-1
- Push hard and fast at the center of the chest
If possible, you may want to send someone else to call 9-1-1 so you can start CPR right away. Kneel directly over the individual and put the heel of one of your hands in the center of the chest. Place the other hand on top of the first and push hard and fast until help arrives. It’s important to push at a rate of at least 100 beats per minute. That’s about the same tempo as the Bee Gees song “Stayin’ Alive.”
To view a 60 second video on Hands-Only CPR, visit www.heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR.
Source: American Heart Association