Let's say it's 4:17 p.m. and you're driving home, (alone of course) after an unusually hard day on the job. Not only was the work load extraordinarily heavy, you also had a disagreement with your boss, and no matter how hard you tried he just wouldn't see your side of the situation. You're really upset and the more you think about it the more up tight you become.

All of a sudden you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five miles from the hospital nearest you home, unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far.

What can you do? You've been trained in CPR but the guy that taught the course neglected to tell you how to perform it on yourself.

HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE

Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, this article seemed in order.) Without help the person whose heart stops beating properly and who begins to feel Faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness. However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, and the cough must be deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest. A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again. Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating.

The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a phone and, between breaths, call for help.

Tell as many other people as possible about this, it could save their lives!

from Health Cares, Rochester General Hospital via Chapter 240's newsletter AND THE BEAT GOES ON... (reprint from The Mended Hearts, Inc. publication, Heart Response)

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) consists of mouth-to-mouth respiration and chest compression.

CPR IN THREE SIMPLE STEPS
(Please try to attend a CPR training course)
 
1. CALL
Check the victim for unresponsiveness. If there is no response, Call 911 and return to the victim. In most locations the emergency dispatcher can assist you with CPR instructions.
   
2. BLOW
Tilt the head back and listen for breathing.  If not breathing normally, pinch nose and cover the mouth with yours and blow until you see the chest rise. Give 2 breaths.  Each breath should take 1 second.
   
3. PUMP

If the victim is still not breathing normally, coughing or moving, begin chest compressions.  Push down on the chest 11/2 to 2 inches 30 times right between the nipples.  Pump at the rate of 100/minute, faster than once per second.
 
   
CONTINUE WITH 2 BREATHS AND 30 PUMPS UNTIL HELP ARRIVES
NOTE: This ratio is the same for one-person & two-person CPR.  In two-person CPR the person pumping the chest stops while the other gives mouth-to-mouth breathing.

What complications can occur?

Complications of CPR

Vomiting is the most frequently encountered complication of CPR. If the victim starts to vomit, turn the head to the side and try to sweep out or wipe off the vomit. Continue with CPR.

The spread of infection from the victim to the rescuer is exceedingly rare. Most cardiac arrests occur in people's homes - relatives or friends will be the ones needing to do CPR. Even CPR performed on strangers has an exceedingly rare risk of infection. There is NO documentation of HIV or AIDS ever being transmitted via CPR.

What about checking for a pulse?

Checking The Pulse

The pulse check is no longer taught or expected of laypersons. Instead, if there is no response after two mouth-to-mouth breaths, begin to pump on the chest. Please note that the pulse check is still expected of health care providers.

CPR for Children (Ages 1-8)

CPR for children is similar CPR for adults. The compression to ventilation ratio is 30:2. There are, however, 3 differences.

1) If you are alone with the child give two minutes of CPR before calling 911

2) Use the heel of one hand as for adults for chest compressions

3) Press the sternum approximately one-third the depth of the chest
 

CPR for Infants  (Age <1)

1. Shout and Tap
Shout and gently tap the child on the shoulder. If there is no response, position the infant on his or her back
 
 2. Open The Airway
Open the airway using a head tilt lifting of chin. Do not tilt the head too far back
 
 3. Give 2 Gentle Breaths
If the baby is NOT breathing give 2 small gentle breaths. Cover the baby's mouth and nose with your mouth. Each breath should be 1 second long. You should see the baby's chest rise with each breath.
 
 4. Give 30 Compressions
Give 30 gentle chest compressions at the rate of 100 per minute. Use two or three fingers in the center of the chest just below the nipples. Press down approximately one-third the depth of the chest.
 
 5. Repeat
Repeat with 2 breath and 30 compressions. After two minutes of repeated cycles call 911 and continue giving breaths and compressions.
 

Pocket guide
 
Please print this guide, cut it out, pin it to your wall, Xerox it for a friend
or place a copy in your purse or wallet as a reminder of the basic steps of CPR!

CPR for Cats & Dogs

CPR for cats and dogs is similar to CPR for humans. These directions assume the animal is unconscious and the risk of being bitten by the animal is not present

1. Remove any obstruction.

Open animals mouth and make sure the air passage is clear. If not remove the object obstructing the air passage.

2. Extend the head and give several artificial respirations:

A. For large dogs: close the animal's jaw tightly and breathe into the nose. The animal's chest should rise. Give 2 breaths.
B. For small dogs and cats you may be able to cover the nose and mouth with your mouth as you breathe. The animal's chest should rise. Give 2 breaths.

3. Next perform chest compression

A. For large dogs you may be able to position the dogs on its back and compress the chest just like for humans.
B. For small dogs and cats as well as large dogs with funnel chests, you may need to lie the animal on its side and compress the side of the rib cage. Alternatively you can position the animal on its back and press on both sides of the rib cage.

C. The rate of chest compressions varies with the size of the animal

i. Dogs over 60 lbs: 60 compressions per minute
ii. Animals 11 to 60 lbs: 80-100 compressions per minute
iii. Animals 10 lbs or less: 120 compressions per minute

4. Alternate breaths with compressions

The ratio of compressions to breaths should be approximately the same as for humans - 30:2 Continue doing this until the animal responds or begins to breathe on its own.
 
First Aid for a Choking Conscious Adult
 
Step 1.
Determine if the person can speak or cough.
If not, proceed to the next step. 
Step 2.
Perform an abdominal thrust (Heimlich Maneuver) repeatedly until the foreign body is expelled.  
Step 3.
A chest thrust may be used for markedly obese persons or in late stages of pregnancy. 
If the adult or child becomes unresponsive perform CPR.
if you see an object in the throat or mouth, remove it. 

First Aid for a Choking Conscious Child - (1-8 years old)]
The procedure for clearing an obstructed airway is the same for children and adults.

  
Step 1.
Determine if the person can speak or cough.
If not, proceed to the next step. 
Step 2.
Perform an abdominal thrust (Heimlich Maneuver) repeatedly until the foreign body is expelled.  
Step 3.
A chest thrust may be used for markedly obese persons or in late stages of pregnancy. 
If the adult or child becomes unresponsive perform CPR.
if you see an object in the throat or mouth, remove it. 

First Aid for a Choking Conscious Infant (<1 years old)
 
Step 1
Determine if the infant can cry or cough. If not, proceed to next step.
Step 2
Give 5 back blows. 
Step 3
Give 5 chest thrusts. 
Step 4
Repeat steps 2 & 3 above until effective or the infant becomes unconscious. If the infant becomes unresponsive, perform CPR- if you see an object in the throat or mouth, remove it