Mouth to Mouth, Dude?

After several months of laziness, hectic schedules, graveyard shifts and lack of sleep; I am writing again. If I could just print what’s in my head, I supposed I have lots of blog post now. Unfortunately when I try to scribble it, the ideas I was thinking will just pop out. Well maybe I’ll spare this one. 

Science and Medicine is a never ending tale of discoveries just to make life easy, convenient and comfortable. Same as well in saving lives. Every year new medicines are discovered just to cure ailments either palliative or as treatment; the reason is to help save lives. Just this morning I talked to a friend from the West, who recently got a new job (Congratulations!), asked me something which made me think. At that point I typed it in Google and gave me something fresh, new, and very helpful information. How stupid I was not to know this, I suppsosed I am a nurse. Well better late than never!

For decades, *American Heart Association (AHA) uses CPR or Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation. This technique is use as first aid to revive patients who are unresponsive, non-pulsatile, and may experiencing heart attack or anything that cause the heart to stop. CPR is performed by alternately giving pressure to the chest or compression and breathing to the patient’s mouth or nose.

The process is done until the patient is revived or when the hospital is reached. The technique was formerly performed in 2 breaths and 30 compressions alternately. Few years ago it was changed to 1:15 ratio (1 breath and 15 compressions). 

It feels awkward to do this procedure to a stranger especially the mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. You might ask yourself, have she/he brushed her/his teeth or maybe gargled before leaving home? Yeah, I might say so. Even medical personnel such as nurses, doctors, and paramedics might be hesitant to do so. For sure they will find ways just to avoid the mouth-to-mouth procedure like AMBUbag (if it’s available), donut shape handkerchief or whatsoever just to avoid the contact with the patient’s mouth. Well, the fact that that person might have communicable disease is one of the reason as well why caution is needed.

Here's the GOOD NEWS! In a major change, the American Heart Association said that hands-only CPR — rapid, deep presses on the victim’s chest until help arrives — works just as well as standard CPR for sudden cardiac arrest in adults.

Experts hope bystanders will now be more willing to jump in and help if they see someone suddenly collapse. Hands-only CPR is simpler and easier to remember and removes a big barrier for people skittish about the mouth-to-mouth breathing.

First, call 911 and push hard and fast on the middle of the person’s chest. Hands-only CPR calls for uninterrupted chest presses — 100 a minute — until paramedics take over or an automated external defibrillator is available to restore a normal heart rhythm.

This action should be taken only for adults who unexpectedly collapse, stop breathing and are unresponsive. The odds are that the person is having cardiac arrest — the heart suddenly stops — which can occur after a heart attack or be caused by other heart problems. In such a case, the victim still has ample air in the lungs and blood and compressions keep blood flowing to the brain, heart and other organs.

A child who collapses is more likely to primarily have breathing problems — and in that case, mouth-to-mouth breathing should be used. That also applies to adults who suffer lack of oxygen from a near-drowning, drug overdose, or carbon monoxide poisoning. In these cases, people need mouth-to-mouth to get air into their lungs and bloodstream.

This is how you do it...

The association took the unusual step of making the changes now  because three studies last year showed hands-only was as good as traditional CPR. Hands-only will be added to CPR training.

Now, you can be a hero in your own simple way by the power of your two hands and your strength to compress somebody's chest; extend someone's life. What I have in mind is, of course I can do both CPR with mouth-to-mouth and even without. In any case if somebody collapse and when you that person lying and he looks like Brad Pitt or Angelina Jolie, will you use without mouth-to-mouth? You better answer it right.

                               *Thanks to www.msbn.msb.com and to YOU!