by Cyndi Li

Created on: May 12, 2009   Last Updated: May 20, 2009

Did you know that heart disease takes the lives of more Americans each year than cancer? It's true. Many of those afflicted with heart disease are suddenly struck down without warning, and almost all of them are miles or more from a hospital setting. Did you also know CPR saves a reported 166,000 lives each year? It's because of these statistics the American Heart Association recommends that everyone be certified to perform CPR. But, how exactly does CPR help to save lives?

CPR is the process by which a person administers artificial respirations and chest compression, in order to keep the heart pumping, of a victim who is not breathing and has no heart beat. It's this pumping of the heart that helps to restart the victims circulatory system, and in essence, continue to supply oxygenated blood to the brain. If the brain is without oxygen for 4-6 minutes it starts to die rapidly. A person's chance of survival is doubled if CPR is administered within minutes after their heart stops. Here's what's happening when you perform CPR.

The heart is the driving force behind the human body's circulatory system. It continually pumps blood throughout the network of tubes that make up the arteries and veins of the circulatory system. This continual flow of blood is vital to survival because the body lives off of the oxygen and other nutrients found within it. It also serves as a conduit that removes much of the body's cellular waste. When a person's heart stops beating, blood flow stops almost immediately. The brain, which tells all body parts what to do via the body's nervous system, begins to die within minutes. Without the brain to tell the rest of the body's organs what to do, the entire body ceases to function and begins to die. With the intervention of CPR, however, this process can be delayed until medical professionals can, hopefully, restart the heart, drastically increasing the victim's chance of survival.

The chest compression administered during CPR act as the pumping mechanism while the heart is incapable of pumping on its own. As the chest wall is compressed the chambers of the heart contract which forces the blood from chamber to chamber and then out into the body, just as the heart would do unassisted if it were able to. As the blood flows throughout the body, the other parts of the circulatory system start to function again. These artificial compressions keep the blood moving in its intended cylindrical path which serves to restart the circulatory system again, and keep it operational until the heart is restarted or death is declared.

Each year CPR is the difference between life and death for literally thousands of people. Learning CPR could save the life of another and raise that number even higher. Contact the American Red Cross today for information on how to become certified in CPR.

www.redcross.org

or call (202) 303 - 5000

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