|
CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. As mentioned in the History section of CPR, it is a set of skills perfomed during a respiratory or cardiac arrest. CPR is an attempt to bring back the heart and lungs into normal function.
CPR helps keep blood and oxygen (O2) flowing when heart stops beating or when airway is obstructed. CPR does not save lives. The purpose is to keep the person's brain and heart supplied with blood and O2 until medical help arrives.
All Budoka, must practice safety within their dojos as well as be prepared to deal with emergencies that may occur. Moreover, it is part of your job description as a sensei or dai sempai. All sensei, sempai and students have a duty to respond to medical emergencies. In the next couple of weeks, my goal is to help you recognize and react to critical health emergencies, help you learn how to perform Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) for adults and children.
In this section, the first lesson will be based on helping you learn your role in the chain of survival. Also you will learn how to keep yourself healthy and prevent heart disease and stroke.
Naturally, any information presented here should be followed with in-person instruction by a qualified instructor. The information on this site is for information purposes and actual performance of CPR must be practiced and learnt under supervision.
THE CHAIN OF SURVIVAL
The chain of Survival is based on living a healthy lifestyle and learning how to care for those whose heart and breathing has stopped (cardiac and respiratory arrest). The Chain consists of seven links or essential steps.
1.Healthy Choices- are decisions made in life that help reduce the risk for heart disease, strokes and injury. There are two categories to study when attempting to reduce you chances of heart disease: uncontroalble and controllable.
a.Uncontrollable- age, gender, family medical history, race etc.
b.Controllable- the amount of exercise, loosing bad habits (smoking, drinking frequently), monitoring your blood pressure and diet and blood sugar in diabetes.
2.Early Recognition- is based on awareness of the warning signs of heart disease and stroke and of illness and injury in adult, infant, children can reduce delays to treatment.
a.The Heart- is separated into two parts. The right and the left pump. The inside of the heart consists of four chambers. The right heart receives deoxygenated blood (waste CO2) from the tissues, which is then sent to the lungs to be recycled or cleaned. The left heart then receives from the lungs cleaned or oxygenated blood which is then pumped throughout the body by a major artery. The outside of the heart is covered with arteries that supply blood to the major heart muscles. *WARNING SIGNS*-Pain, Shortness of breath, Tiredness.
b.Stroke-is a sudden interruption of the blood supply to an area of the brain, by either blockage or bursting of a blood vessel. Warning signs weakness, trouble speaking, vision problems, headache, and dizziness. Treatment blood thinners.
c.Transient Ischemic attack (TIA)-Mini stroke, temporary blockage and not permanent brain damage. A warning sign for severe strokes. Warning signs include: weakness, trouble speaking, vision problems, headache, and dizziness. Treatment involves surgery and medication.
3.Early Access- to emergency medical system (EMS) by calling 911 or your local emergency phone number brings trained medical help to a recognised emergency. It is the best chance for appropriate treatment. Do not wait for the individual to become unresponsive before calling.
a. If you are alone call first before doing anything else. If you're not alone delegate someone and make sure help is on the way as you assess the individual in need. Be prepared.
b. If the individual is responsive ask about medications that they take, and don’t forget to offer support and reassurance.
4.Early CPR- unresponsive not breathing and their heart has stopped, this equals cardiac arrest.
The ABC’s of CPR
ABC stands for Airway, Breathing, Circulation. In the following weeks, more elaborate notes and discussion will be posted. Early CPR is the basic steps to learning basic life support.
- • Breath, take a minute for yourself to calm down and scope the area for safety.
- • Determine unresponsiveness
- • Call 911 or EMS.
- • Reposition the person
- • Check Airway, Breathing and Circulation
5.Early Defibrillation- the link that will improve survival rate in adults in cardiac arrest. Automated external defibrillator (AED) is used to shock the heart, briefly stopping all muscle activity. This allows the heart to return to a more effective heart rhythm as soon as possible.
6.Early Advanced Care-medications for stroke and cardiac care, defibrillation, special airway management techniques and machinery on the way and at the hospital.
7.Early Rehabilitation-the end of the chain of survival and the begining to making healthy choices.From here you go back to the first link. This also requires a large amount of support from individuals and support groups.
The key point to the chain of survival is the word EARLY.
As martial artists we train countless hours learning to respond to attack. We need to begin to start training our body and mind to respond to internal or personal attacks (health issues). From my experience, as humans we tend to respond too LATE to signs and symptoms we experience. We want to change when things are too LATE. The problem with this is that we may not have a second chance. Moreover, if we are not in proper health we cannot take care of others. We need to take good care of ourselves. Find out where you are on the chain of survival. As well, on how you can help others. We are one family in the Budo world, let us help you so that you can help others.
I welcome you to ask me any questions. I-budo is an distance learning institute and open learning system. Any personal questions asked will be keep confidential. It is my duty as a health Professional to do so.
Renshi York
The International Budo Institute |
