This section will teach the layperson (now identified as the lay rescuer) about the lifesaving features of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). With the advancement of resuscitation science, more and more people are being saved from the brink of death. However, the survival rate in cardiac arrest is still only 1% to 6%. Survival rates after having a heart attack at home are the lowest. It is the goal of this training program to change these trends.

Community CPR Training

Cardiac Arrest & Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation in the United States

Cardiac disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with about 659,000 people dying from this disease every year—one person every 36 seconds.¹⁰

If coronary artery disease is left untreated, tissue damage can cause the heart to develop fatal arrhythmias. Fatal arrhythmias are uncoordinated heartbeats that hinder the optimal output of blood from the heart to the systemic circulation. Patient outcomes improve if they receive timely and quality cardiopulmonary resuscitation. When attended by trained emergency medical personnel, patients with cardiac arrest have increased survival rates. 

Resuscitation Guidelines

The guidelines listed below were adapted from in-depth research by leading institutions such as the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) and the American Heart Association (AHA). The goal for creating resuscitation guidelines is to provide the lay rescuer with easy-to-remember steps, making them automatic when dealing with cardiac arrest. They also aim to explain why immediately initiating chest compressions and early defibrillation is essential for resuscitation.

The following are important concepts:

1. Recognize cardiac arrest in 10 seconds or less.
   1. The patient is unresponsive.
   2. The patient does not have a pulse.
   3. The patient is not breathing.
2. Activate the emergency response system by calling 9-1-1.
3. Perform high-quality CPR.
   1. Push hard and fast.
   2. Provide mouth-to-mouth breathing.
      1. Single lay rescuer: 30 chest compressions to 2 breaths
      2. Multiple lay rescuers: 15 chest compressions to 2 breaths
4. Minimize interruptions in CPR.
5. Check breathing and pulse in < 10 seconds every 5 cycles of CPR.
6. Untrained lay rescuers initiate chest compression-only CPR.
7. Utilize the AED as soon as it is available

Providing CPR for children has some differences compared to providing it to adults. In children, sudden cardiac arrest is usually due to respiratory arrest and shock, while cardiac arrest in adults is more commonly caused by heart disease. 

Providing early high-quality CPR increases survival rates. 

For this guide, infant CPR instructions refer to babies younger than 1 year of age. CPR in children refers to a child > 1 year of age up to puberty (breast development in females; axillary hair in males).

Lay Rescuer CPR Algorithm

Related Video: CPR Skills Review