Critical during cardiac arrest, sudden collapse, breathing failure
Dr Priya Dixit
In critical conditions like cardiac arrest, sudden collapse, or breathing failure, every second matters. Many lives can be saved not only by doctors but by common people if they know just one simple skill: CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation).
What is CPR?
CPR is an emergency lifesaving technique used when a person’s heart stops beating or breathing stops. It keeps oxygen and blood flowing to the brain and vital organs until proper medical help arrives or the heart starts beating again.
Think of CPR as a manual heartbeat — you become the pump that keeps the person alive.
Why and when CPR is needed
CPR should be started immediately when a person is unresponsive (not moving or speaking), not breathing normally or has no pulse.
It is most commonly needed in case of heart attack or cardiac arrest, drowning, electric shock, severe trauma, choking or suffocation or sudden collapse due to unknown cause. Even if you’re unsure, it’s better to start CPR than to do nothing.
How CPR works
When the heart stops, blood flow to the brain and organs also stops. Within four to six minutes, brain cells begin to die.
CPR helps by:
- Chest compressions – pressing the chest pushes blood out of the heart and through the body.
- Recoil – letting the chest rise allows blood to refill the heart.
- Rescue breaths (if given) – provide oxygen to the lungs, which circulates with compressions.
This creates an artificial circulation, keeping the brain and heart alive until the heart restarts naturally, or a defibrillator (electric shock device) revives normal rhythm, or doctors take over with advanced life support.
Even if the pulse is lost and breathing stops, CPR keeps minimal blood flow going, preventing death until revival.
How long should be CPR given in cardiac arrest?
CPR should be until the patient shows signs of life. It should be stopped only if the person starts breathing normally, begins to move, cough or opens eyes, or you feel a pulse return (spontaneous circulation).
If none of these things happen, continue CPR until medical help arrives. If emergency medical services (EMS) are on the way, continue CPR without interruption until a trained team takes over, or a defibrillator (AED) is available and used.
If you are alone, continue CPR as long as you physically can — usually people can sustain it for 10 to 20 minutes before fatigue sets in.
In a hospital or clinical setting, medical teams may continue CPR for 20 to 40 minutes or even longer, depending on age and condition of patient, cause of cardiac arrest (e.g. drowning, electrocution, heart attack) and whether defibrillation or drugs are being used.
If no return of pulse or breathing after 30 to 40 minutes, doctors may declare CPR unsuccessful (called “termination of resuscitation”).
Things every common man should know
- Check responsiveness – Tap and shout.
- Call for help – Dial emergency services.
- Check breathing and pulse – If absent, start CPR.
- Push hard and fast – 100 to 120 compressions per minute, 5 to 6 cm deep, at the centre of the chest.
- Do not stop until medical help arrives.
Even without medical training, your hands can keep a heart beating until professionals take over.
Everyone should learn CPR because it takes just two hours to learn, but can save a life. Most cardiac arrests happen at home or public places, where doctors aren’t present. A few minutes of courage and action can mean the difference between life and death.
The writer is the founder of Dr Priya’s Homoeocare and a senior visiting doctor at Aaditya Homeopathic Hospital, Pune
Dr Priya Dixit
