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Contrary to other articles on here I have read, the current guidlines in CPR (2005 to at least 2007) state that if you feel that somebody may be in cardiac arrest,

* Check for a response by shaking/shouting at them
* Shout for help
* Check that their airway is not occluded (it may have been something that they were choking on that killed them)
* Check for breathing and pulse for ten seconds

If at this time you cannot look/feel/hear them breathing then assume cardiac arrest and perform 30 chest compressions clasping your hands and pressing the heel of your hand visually into the center of the chest (it is felt this is effective and faster than trying to search for the two-finger breadths above the lower sternum technique)

The chest should be compressed around 4-5 cm at a rate of about 100 (almost 2 per second). This is in an attempt to push oxygen filled blood around the body to oxygenate vital organs such as the brain.
Whilst compressing, it is not unusual to hear the ribs "cracking". This can feel rather unpleasant but CPR should continue, if they are dead they can't get any worse!

2 breaths should then be given. New guidelines go in the favour of chest compressions rather than breaths first. What's the point in putting more oxygen in if it's not going to travel anywhere!

The rate should then continue uninterrupted at 30 compressions to 2 breaths until help arrives, you are exhausted, or they regain normal breathing.

If people are unwilling to give mouth-to-mouth (disease spreading is highly unlikely however) then it is acceptable to do continuos CPR. The open airway should cause a vacuum effect dragging in a slight amount of the surrounding air.

Learn more about this author, Paul Cartmell.
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