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Reasons to Learn CPR

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a procedure that uses manual chest compressions and the breathing of air into the lungs of victims of heart attacks. CPR is taught by organizations such as the American Red Cross and can be learned by virtually anyone. Of the various reasons to learn CPR, the best is probably that if applied quickly and properly, it can help save the life of a heart attack victim.

  1. You Never Know

    • A heart attack can strike at virtually any time, anywhere. You could be on the job when a co-worker suddenly collapses, on a family picnic when your mother or father starts experiencing severe chest pains, or in a movie theater when the person in front of you clutches his chest in pain. If you know CPR, you can react quickly and possibly save a life.

    Knowing the Signs

    • When you learn the CPR technique, you will also learn the signs of a heart attack such as chest pains and difficulty breathing. By knowing what is happening when someone is suffering a heart attack, you'll be able to act quickly and follow your training. You'll also know if you need to call or have another bystander call 911 for additional assistance.

    Preventing Needless Deaths

    • According to the American Red Cross, 200,000 people die from sudden cardiac arrest each year in the United States, and 25 percent of these deaths could have been prevented if CPR had been applied to the victim. If CPR is applied during the first four minutes after cardiac arrest, the chance of survival will double.

    It May All Depend on You

    • The Red Cross also indicates that 80 percent of cardiac arrests occur while the victim is at home, which means there may be a limited number of people available to provide assistance. If you're the only one at home with the victim, your actions can make the difference between life and death, making learning CPR even more important.

    Operating Life-Saving Equipment

    • When you learn CPR, you'll learn to use a device called an automated external defibrillator (AED). An AED is an electronic device found in public places such as shopping malls that when applied to the chest can diagnose and stop potentially life-threatening heart arrhythmias. According to the Union City Fire Department, the survival rate of a heart arrhythmia is 70 to 90 percent if an AED is applied within the first minute after an event.

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