Why Is Cpr Important

The importance of learning Basic CPR The average person may think he is able to perform CPR, but mastering this vital skill can save a life. When people talk about learning Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation most seem to think they will never need it because of course that's what 911 is for and they are trained to save lives right? That's true however, learning basic CPR can mean the difference between life and death in someone you love or care about. CPR can be just as vital as learning how to swim, drive a car, or use self defense. Why is this skill so important you may ask? Easy, when a person can not breathe or a person's body can't circulate blood properly cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can restore the circulation of oxygen and blood flow to the brain and other vital organs. Without proper oxygen flow to the brain a person can suffer permanent brain damage or even death in less than 8 minutes. (Naval Hospital Corpsman workbook 4-18) Ok so now we know CPR is useful but who's to say the average person will ever have to use it right? Wrong, In the United States some if not half of the deaths are preventable deaths, these include: Drug overdoses, suicides and Cardiac Arrests (or more commonly known as
Adults benefit from it too, according to the American Heart Association; heart disease is the leading cause of death in America. Each year, cardiovascular disease and sudden arrest claim the lives of 325,000 Americans before they reach the hospital. Since almost 80 percent of heart attacks occur at home performing CPR right away can double a victims chances of survival. (Hazinski,Cummins and Field 2000) As the saying goes for every minute a persons brain goes without oxygen it reduces their chance of survival by 10 percent, so within 5 minutes a persons chances of survival has now dropped to 50