About Rescue Breathing

Rescue breathing falls under the umbrella of artificial respiration. It is known by a variety of terms, such as mouth to mouth resuscitation, offering someone the kiss of life, or expired air ventilation. No matter which terminology you employ, rescue breathing, in simplest terms, refers to inflating the lungs of a non-breathing individual with air coming from your lungs that is expelled via your mouth. Rescue breathing is taught extensively during first aid courses, and it is credited with saving the lives of infants, children and adults alike.

History

• Rescue breathing is a relatively new discipline. Two physicians---Peter Safar and James Elam---are credited with popularizing the practice of mouth to mouth resuscitation in the late 1950s. Both physicians worked hard at proving not only the effectiveness of the technique but also the ease of the practice that would permit even lay persons to assist a non-breathing patient to survive the wait until emergency medical personnel could arrive.

Types

• There are various kinds of rescue breathing. Depending on the patient's age, size and even species, there are mouth to mouth resuscitation guides for infants, small children, adults and even pets. Links to infant, adult, and pet rescue breathing and overall CPR measures are listed in the Resources section.

Function

• Rescue breathing saves the lives of patients who have stopped breathing but are also not subject to choking. The most common recipients of rescue-breathing attempts are suspected drowning cases where there is still a chance to revive the victim. Anyone who has stopped breathing but does not show any obstruction to the airways is a good candidate for receiving mouth to mouth resuscitation.

Theories/Speculation

• There has been speculation about being able to spread or catch HIV and other communicable diseases while engaging in rescue breathing. Emergency medical personnel and first responders now routinely carry resuscitation masks that provide one-way valves in the mouth area and permit mouth to mask breathing. Not only does this eliminate the potential for getting in contact with bodily fluids, but it also eliminates the danger of inhaling the exhaled air of the victim, some of which may contain tiny droplets, transmitting flu or other contagions.

Considerations

• Rescue breathing sounds like a very straightforward undertaking: Ensure that there is no obstruction in the airway, open the victim's mouth, pinch the nose shut, and then breathe into the open mouth. It is often not understood that there are a variety of considerations that do not fit into the standard scenario. For example, if there are extensive mouth injuries, rescue breathing may need to be accomplished through the nose by clamping the victim's mouth shut. Conversely, if the patient wears dentures and they are not dislocated, they need to remain in the mouth during rescue breathing attempts. Finally, there is a chance of getting bitten by a victim who comes to while you are administering mouth to mouth resuscitation. This makes pausing and observing for a rising chest such a crucial step of the process.