At OC Safety, our mission is to spread life-saving knowledge to as many people as we can. We’re passionate about providing people with valuable CPR and first aid training, empowering them to save the lives of those around them. Cardiac arrest is the number one cause of death in the United States, with 360,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring each year. That’s why for this blog, we wanted to take a look at what actually goes on during a cardiac arrest – as well as how to spot one and what to do to help.
The Process
A cardiac arrest begins with an electrical malfunction in the heart. The heart controls its pumping through timed electrical pulses, so once that system breaks down, the heart begins to beat irregularly – this is called arrhythmia. With the pumping action of the heart disabled, blood cannot circulate through the body, leaving the brain, lungs, muscles, and other organs devoid of oxygen. Within seconds, the victim falls unconscious, ceases breathing, or gasps for air. Without treatment, they will die within minutes.
How To Spot It
Cardiac arrests usually occur with little or no warning, but are characterized by the victim suddenly becoming unresponsive. If you believe someone is undergoing cardiac arrest, tilt their head back and check for breathing for at least five seconds – if it’s a cardiac arrest, there should be none. Remember your ABCs. A – Airway, B – Breathing, C – Compressions. To learn how to properly give chest compressions, please read on to learn how to sign up for a class. You could make the situation worse if you are incorrectly giving treatment.
What To Do
If you see someone under cardiac arrest, identify a specific individual near you to call 911 immediately. “You in the red shirt, call 911.” If there is an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) nearby, get it and use it as quickly as possible. If there is not AED, perform CPR until the ambulance arrives.
Contact Your CPR & AED Training Experts
If you have more questions about what to do in the event of a cardiac arrest or would like more training in CPR or AED use, feel free to reach out to us at 714-960-1911, message us on our contact page or check out any of our classes. Don’t forget to check back to this blog periodically, as we’ll be updating it with more tips on living healthy and saving lives.