Emergency first aid. An ambulance call is not all we can do for an unconscious person who is not breathing. If we give him first aid by undertaking cardiopulmonary resuscitation (heart massage and artificial respiration), we will increase his chances of survival even tenfold.

First aid , given correctly, saves lives. And most of ushelpthe victim is usually limited to calling the emergency services, because we are paralyzed by fear. We are afraid that we may harm him. Let's try to overcome the fear, becauseproviding first aidby performingcardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR), we “buy” the injured person the time needed for professional services to travel. The problem, however, is that many people do not know how to save him. First you need to assess the situation. Shake the injured gently by the shoulders and ask what happened. If he says something, ask if he needs help. When the injured person does not want help, but you think that his life is in danger (e.g. he is lying on the ground on a frosty day), call the police. If the victim does not respond to shaking and does not answer your questions, the victim is unconscious and needs help. Therefore, notify a medical emergency and start a rescue operation.

First aid - safe position

An unconscious victim who is breathing properly is placed on his side, with his head tilted back. Note: Visibly pregnant women should lie on their left side because the inferior vena cava runs on the right side of the spine. When placed on the right side, the enlarged uterus can press it against the spine and impede blood circulation.

First aid - step by step instructions

Such instructions should be carried in the car, kept in a purse or wallet. Having such a guide will make you feel safer and more confident while providing first aid.

Step one: check if the injured is breathing and call for help

Kneel next to the injured person. Ask one of the witnesses to help, indicating a specific person (otherwise no one will move). Then, clear the respiratory tract of the injured person. Tilt his head back, placing one hand on his forehead and the fingers on the otherlifting his chin. Bend over him to see if he is breathing. Check if you can feel a breeze on your cheek, hear it exhale, see if your chest rises. It should take 10 seconds for the breath to be checked. If the victim is breathing normally (you should find 2-3 correct breaths within 10 seconds) place him in the side position.

When you are alone, you always call the ambulance first.

If not breathing or breathing is abnormal, call a second person for help (call 999 or 112) and have an automated external defibrillator (AED) brought in. The priority is to call for help. Your actions will be useless if they are not taken over by professional rescuers. Therefore, when you are alone, you always call the ambulance first.

Step two: start the heart massage

Begin chest compressions. When the victim is not breathing, proceed to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Begin it by compressing the chest. Kneel down next to the injured person, pushing your knees apart to keep yourself in a stable position. Bring your hands together and place them in the center of your chest. Use the base of your hand to apply pressure. Keep your arms straight at the elbows and put your shoulders forward.

In most adults, breathing stops due to cardiac arrest, so massage is more important than rescue breaths.

Compress the chest, 5-6 cm, with a frequency of 100-120 compressions per minute. Perform 30 compressions. Chest compressions involve a lot of exercise, so CPR should be performed by at least two people who alternate every 2 minutes.

Step three: do artificial respiration

Perform rescue breaths. Tilt the victim's head back. Place your mouth tightly against that of the victim (use a resuscitation mask if you have one), pinch the nose with your fingers and inhale as usual. Check that the chest is rising. After a while, take a second breath. Then go back to the heart massage. Repeat the sequence: 30 compressions, 2 breaths until the victim starts breathing, the ambulance arrives or you are exhausted. If for some reason you are unable to perform rescue breaths, keep compressing your chest.

Repeat the sequence: 30 chest compressions, 2 breaths until the victim starts breathing, the ambulance arrives or you are exhausted.

If your inhales are ineffective (your chest has not lifted), do not repeat them until you succeed. In most adults, breathing stops due to cardiac arrest,therefore his massage is more important than rescue breaths. It forces the blood (there is still oxygen in it) to flow through the most important organs. By compressing the chest, you partially take over the functions of the heart, which increases the victim's chances of survival.

Step four: use the defibrillator

Turn on the defibrillator, or AED. If an AED was brought in, open it, turn it on, and stick on the electrodes - one below the left armpit and the other under the right collarbone, next to the breastbone. If you have a second rescuer to help, have them do so while you continue CPR. The defibrillator dampens the chaotic electrical impulses flowing through the heart and allows it to resume its regular work. After opening the device, it gives voice commands. So I will instruct you on what to do. Remember that no one is allowed to touch the victim during rhythm analysis and defibrillation. If he is breathing normally as a result of defibrillation, stop CPR. While he is still unconscious, place him on the side. Continue CPR if you are not breathing. AED is more and more often available in large population centers, such as railway stations, airports, shopping centers, and the subway. It is indicated by the EU graphic symbol (white heart with an electric spark and a cross on a green background). You can also ask about the defibrillator to protect a given object.

Important

Giving first aid to your baby: start with resuscitation

CPR in a child is slightly different from that in adults. We start it with 5 rescue breaths, because in children, cardiac arrest is most often caused by the cessation of breathing. So first you need to oxygenate their body. Then we repeat the sequence: 30 chest compressions, 2 breaths. Press the chest shallower, 4-5 cm deep, with one hand (in infants - with the fingers). When performing rescue breaths in babies, we put our mouths around the baby's mouth and nose. If we are alone, an ambulance is called after a minute of CPR.

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