A society that saves lives. The European Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day
With your help, there will always be another heartbeat. Find out about Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation.
Health
This year, Fundación MAPFRE is taking part in the celebration of European Cardiac Arrest Awareness Day, scheduled for 16 October under the slogan: “A society that saves lives”. In Spain, this initiative is coordinated by the Spanish Council of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. For this campaign, Fundación MAPFRE has produced a series of informative material with the objective of delivering a vital message to the general public: When faced with a heart attack, act. Your decision could be a vital in saving someone’s life.
If you find yourself in an emergency situation, be aware of these measures for the correct administration of CPR while the emergency services are on their way:
RESPONSE
Shake them gently by the shoulders and ask aloud: Are you alright? If they respond, leave them in the position in which you found them so long as there is no further risk; get help if necessary. Reassess the situation frequently.
AIRWAY
If there is no response, position the victim face down. Place one hand on their forehead and the fingers of the other hand under their chin and gently tilt the head back to open the airway.
BREATHING
Observe, listen and feel for breath for no more than 10 seconds to determine if they are breathing normally.
CALL THE EMERGENCY NUMBER
If you have any doubt at all as to whether their breathing is normal, call 112 and prepare to administer CPR. If the victim is unconscious but breathing normally, place them in the recovery position and call the emergency services on 112. Reassess the situation frequently.
ASK FOR AN AED
If the victim is not breathing normally, and if possible, send someone to look for and fetch an AED. If you are alone, do not abandon the victim and start CPR.
COMPRESSIONS
Kneel to one side of the victim. Place the heel of the hand in the center of their chest (lower central part of the victim’s chest bone or sternum).
Place the heel of the other hand on top of the first one. Keep your arms straight. Position yourself vertically over the victim’s chest and compress the sternum approximately 5 cm (but no more than 6 cm). Repeat with a frequency of 100-120 compressions per minute.
With these simple instructions you can assist somebody suffering from cardiac arrest and overcome the emergency situation you are faced with.