Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation is a first aid technique useful in many emergencies, such as a heart attack, near drowning, or if someone’s breathing or heart beat stops. However, it seems that most people have misconceptions of what CPR is. Some think it’s the kiss of life or the ability to resuscitate.  This is what we see in movies, right? Well, as per usual, one can’t trust that movies for medical advice. If you found yourself in a situation where someone falls down and stops breathing, will you be able to help?

Before answering that question, let’s see what CPR can really do.

The purpose of CPR is to maintain oxygen flowing to the brain and vital organs when the heart and lungs stop functioning. If the heart stops pumping blood and lungs stop working, your whole body will shut down and go into cardiac arrest. This is the moment where CPR is essential to sustain a life. The technique of pushing down on a chest (chest compression) is to pump the heart manually, since the heart is not working on its own. The breathing mouth to mouth technique provides oxygen to the victim when lungs are impaired.

CPR is an effective method to provide first aid in emergencies, and it can increase survival chances for a victim under cardiac arrest. However, it won’t necessarily bring the victim back to consciousness, like in the movies, where the hero or protagonist always seems to spring back to life at the very last moment. The American Heart Association suggests that there are five common misconceptions of CPR. For instance, thinking that mouth to mouth is a required step for CPR, when it is not. This article advises that performing chest compression is an effective alternative by itself. This is useful information if you ever found yourself without the CPR mask and are uncomfortable with putting your mouth on the victim.

It is very important to know this life saving procedure. However, it begs the question, do you need to be certified? The answer is no. If there is no one else around, the first responder is you. It is far better to do something than to just stand there and do nothing about it. The smartest move is to call 911 and wait for professionals while also performing CPR. This way you are increasing the chances of survival up to 30 percent, suggests the American Heart Association.

Obviously having this certification will increase your effectiveness. If you are wondering where can you learn and obtain your CPR certification here in Pinellas County, you can visit:

• American Red Cross, located at 818 4^th Street N., St. Petersburg
• CPR Tampa, located at 334 E Lake Rd S, Palm Harbor.
• Apollo First Aid, located at 3701 State Road 580 Suite Oldsmar.
• Suncoast Safety Council, located in Clearwater

By: Christian Aguillon

 Christian is the Wellness Attendant for the SPC Allstate gym.