If you witness a cardiac arrest it is important to call 999 and commence CPR immediately!

What is a cardiac arrest?

Cardiac arrest is the sudden loss of heart function and abrupt loss of breathing and consciousness. It cuts off blood circulation from the heart to the brain and other organs of the body. It’s an emergency condition & can be fatal if not treated immediately.

Signs & symptoms of a cardiac arrest

Many people experience some signs and symptoms which can be considered as “warning signs” before a cardiac arrest. As warning signs, you may experience,

• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Heart palpitations
• Extreme dizziness
• Lose consciousness

In case you or someone next to you or your colleague experience these above symptoms, call 999 and commence CPR immediately.

How to perform CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)

In an emergency, CPR can make a big difference and can save lives. CPR helps in blood and oxygen flowing which can increase the chances of survival of those who is in a cardiac arrest.

Before you commence CPR

• Check for responsiveness – tap the patient on his/her shoulder, shout “Are you okay” and check the patient’s response.
• Call 999 – If you don’t get any response from the patient, call 999 immediately. If someone is around, ask for help and request them to call 999 immediately.

During this pandemic time, it is recommended not to provide rescue breaths since there is a risk of cross-infection. For more details please check the latest advice on the NHS website

As per the advice of Resuscitation Council UK, if there is a risk of infection then you should put a cloth or towel over the patient’s mouth and nose and provide hands–only (compression-only) CPR. For more information please visit here

How to perform hands–only (compression-only) CPR?

1. Lay the patient on their back and kneel beside the patient.
2. The heel of your one hand should be on the center of the patient’s chest
3. Place the other hand on the top of first hand & interlock your fingers.
4. Keep your elbows straight & adjust your shoulders straight over your hands.
5. Start compression as hard as possible and try to deliver at a pace of somewhere around 100 compressions/minute.
6. Continue doing it until the emergency team arrives and takes over, or if the person starts to become conscious or starts to breathe normally.
7. In case you feel tired ask someone nearby to help & guide them to continue.

After dialling 999 and starting CPR, the next important step is using a defibrillator.

Defibrillator

It is an instrument used for the patient who is in cardiac arrest. It provides a high-energy electric shock to the patient’s heart and helps in regaining the heart’s rhythm. It can help the heart beating normally again. So it is very much important to find a defibrillator and use it as per the instructions.

– Ask someone’s help to get a defibrillator if available nearby
– Switch on the defibrillator, it will provide clear guidelines which would be helpful for you to use it.

It is also called a defib, an AED (Automated External Defibrillator), or a PAD (Public Access Defibrillator). For more information please follow the guide from the Resuscitation Council here

Post resuscitation care

 It is important to continue CPR and defibrillation until the emergency team arrives. After the emergency team has taken over, use soap and water to wash your hands or use hand sanitizer.