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Do You Need to be Certified to Save a Life?
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If you're not trained in CPR, it doesn't mean that you can't help. When a man or woman collapses in your presence, the best option is to try administering CPR, according to a study in the online issue of Circulation.
Don't worry about further injuring the person, the risk of CPR-related injury is low. Researchers from the University of Washington studied 1,700 mouth-to-mouth recipients and found that only about 10 percent suffered discomfort or minor injuries as a result of CPR.
“There have been concerns expressed by laypeople and dispatchers that doing CPR might cause damage,” said lead study author Dr. Thomas Rea, M.D., an associate professor of medicine. “Our study shows that you can help the person at risk and the chances that you can injure someone who is not in cardiac arrest are very, very small, and those injuries are not serious.”
Studies have shown that the odds of surviving cardiac arrest increase between 20 and 100 percent when CPR is given. Here are some tips to help you administer CPR:
- Lay the person face up on a hard surface.
- Remove shirt and put hands in the center of the chest right between the nipples.
- Start compressions of one to two inches, counting aloud.
For further instruction, visit the Mayo Clinic's CPR page.
The bottom line: It's ideal to be CPR-certified. If you don't have the time, at least get acclimated with the above suggestions so that you know what to do in case of an emergency.
About The Author
David Schipper – David began writing for CorePerformance.com in 2008, after spending six years at Men's Health magazine digging up the newest scientific research in health, weight loss, nutrition, muscle and cardiovascular fitness.
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