Do you know when to use CPR? Do you know how to perform it?

Knowing CPR not only saves lives, but it can also teach you how to react in certain emergency situations. It is a valuable life skill to have, and is also extremely easy to learn.

So, if you know how to use CPR, how exactly can you tell if someone needs it?

There are many different emergency situations in which you would need to use CPR, as well as common signs and symptoms that may require its use.

Here are a few of them.

1. Drowning

When a person has drowned and is unable to breathe, it is absolutely imperative that someone performs CPR immediately. Doing so will bring oxygen back to the victim’s lungs, preventing oxygen deprivation and death. If you want to save the person’s life, you must bring air back to their airway before they lose consciousness due to lack of oxygen. This is one of the key reasons that lifeguards must undergo CPR training before acquiring the job.

2. Cardiac Arrest

CPR must be performed immediately when someone is experiencing cardiac arrest. When a person experiences cardiac arrest, their heart stops pumping blood around their body, including their lungs and brain. Performing CPR during cardiac arrest will help pump the blood around the heart when the heart cannot. If CPR is not performed immediately during cardiac arrest, death can occur in a matter of minutes.

3. Allergic Reaction

When someone is experiencing an allergic reaction, it can send them into anaphylactic shock. This causes a person’s airway to close, which can make them lose consciousness. Death can occur within minutes if the victim is not treated right away.

Other Signs that Someone May Need CPR

There are many different signs to look out for that someone may require CPR. These signs include symptoms associated with cardiac arrest, stroke, and more.

Here are common signs and symptoms of emergencies that would require CPR.

  • No pulse
  • Loss of consciousness
  • Inability to breathe or trouble breathing
  • Numbness in face or body
  • Fainting/sudden collapse
  • Drug overdose

If you notice anyone experiencing any of these signs or symptoms, perform CPR right away and call emergency services. Remember: In these kinds of situations, knowing CPR can be a matter of life and death.

Contact Lifesaver 101 Today!

Learning CPR not only teaches you a valuable life skill that can help you save a life, but it can also help you react with confidence in emergency situations. Lifesaver101 offers CPR training programs to people of all ages. With training centers located in Toronto, Sudbury, and Pickering, our programs are fun, interactive, and educational. Our courses meet the requirements of Regulation 1101 of the Workplace Safety & Insurance Act and are taught by expert instructors who incorporate examples from the home or workplace which are relevant to the group they are training. If you require First Aid & CPR training, we can help. Contact Lifesaver 101 today!