Paging Dr. Frischer: CPR Training
Summer is just around the corner. Water activities are a big part of my summer, and perhaps for you as well. Are you aware that the number one cause of death among children under age five is drowning? Also keep in mind that summer activities may sometimes include alcoholic beverages, overeating, tripping and falling, and other accidents.
It behooves each and every one of us to be knowledgeable and up to date on how to handle emergencies. CPR, First Aid, and Automated External Defibrillator training is available through a number of organizations, including the American Red Cross.
CPR helps to keep oxygenated blood flowing to the brain and other critical organs, until normal heart rhythm is restored. It dates back to 1740, when the Paris Academy of Sciences first recommended mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for drowning victims. Its use has not only continued through the passage of centuries, but has been continually refined and improved. According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Prompt and adequate CPR can dramatically improve chances of survival, particularly from heart attacks and arrhythmias. Four to six minutes after the heart stops beating, brain death occurs. The chances of survival double if CPR is administered within the first two minutes of cardiac arrest, and recovery time is significantly reduced.
It’s become quite common to find Automatic External Defibrillators available, both in public and in private locations. They are fully automated, and extremely easy to operate. Many classes include an opportunity to become familiar with them.
Most classes also address the essentials of first aid. We all need to know how to act quickly (whether for our own benefit or for others) in case of falls, lacerations, animal or insect bites, etc. Basic first aid skills are invaluable.
I urge you to sign up for a class today. Check out RedCross.org. CPR, AEDs, and first aid save lives!
Dr. Alan Frischer is former chief of staff and former chief of medicine at Downey Regional Medical Center. Write to him in care of this newspaper at 8301 E. Florence Ave., Suite 100, Downey, CA 90240.