Cardiac massage is considered the most important link in the survival chain, after seeking medical help, in order to save a person who has suffered a cardiac arrest, as it allows to replenish the heart and continue pumping blood through the body, maintaining oxygenation of the brain. .
Cardiac massage should always start when the victim is unconscious and not breathing. To evaluate breathing, place the person on his or her back, loosen tight clothing, and place his or her face near the person’s mouth and nose. If you do not see that your chest rises, you do not feel the breath in your face or if you do not hear any breathing, you should start the massage.
To perform a cardiac massage in adolescents and adults, follow these steps:
Watch, in this video, how to perform a cardiac massage
Cardiac massage is usually interspersed with 2 breaths every 30 compressions, however, if you are an unknown person or if you feel uncomfortable during breaths, compressions should be kept continuous until the ambulance arrives. Although the massage can only be performed by 1 person, it is a very exhausting process and, therefore, if another person is available, it is advisable to take turns every 2 minutes, for example changing after breathing.
It is very important not to interrupt the compressions, so if the first person who saw the victim tires during cardiac massage, it is necessary for another person to continue doing the compressions alternately every 2 minutes, always respecting the same rhythm. Cardiac massage should only be stopped when emergency services arrive at the site.
See also what to do in case of acute myocardial infarction
To do a heart massage in children up to 10 years old, the steps are slightly different:
Unlike adults, the child’s breathing should be maintained to facilitate oxygenation of the lungs.
For a baby, try to stay calm and follow these steps
Assim como nas crianças, no bebê as respirações a cda 30 compressões também devem ser mantidas para garantir que existe oxigênio chegando no cérebro.
If the baby chokes, the heart massage should not be started without first trying to remove the object. See detailed instructions on what to do when your baby is drowning.
Doing a cardiac massage is very important to replace the work of the heart and keep the brain of the person well oxygenated, while professional help arrives. This way, it is possible to reduce neurological damage that can begin to appear in just 3 to 4 minutes when the heart no longer pumps blood.
Currently, the Brazilian Society of Cardiology recommends performing a cardiac massage without the need for mouth-to-mouth breathing in adult patients. The most important thing in these patients is to have an effective cardiac massage, that is, to be able to circulate the blood with each chest compression. In children, on the other hand, breaths should be performed every 30 compressions because, in these cases, the main cause of cardiac arrest is hypoxia, i.e. lack of oxygenation.