Anyone that has ever taken a CPR class in the past may remember the old acronym ABC: Airway, Breathing, Chest compressions. Well, the American Heart Association has changed their acronym to CAB: Chest compressions, Airway, Breathing.
So as you’re sitting there reading this and you ask yourself; why the change? Well, it’s rather simple. Have you ever held your breath before (like underwater)? Holding your breath does not cause brain damage immediately. Victims of cardiac arrests can go several minutes, if not longer, before brain damage occurs. So this begs the question; what does a cardiac victim need? A cardiac victim really needs to get the blood flowing again. Thus, the reasoning that chest compressions need to be started before rescue breaths are given.
In the A-B-C sequence chest compressions are often delayed while the responder opens the airway to give mouth-to-mouth breaths or retrieves a barrier device or other ventilation equipment. By changing the sequence to C-A-B, chest compressions will be initiated sooner and ventilation only minimally delayed until completion of the first cycle of chest compressions (30 compressions should be accomplished in approximately 18 seconds).
Stay tuned for a little series on CPR and its related topics to include chain of survival. While I cannot teach you CPR over the internet I would suggest that you enrol in a class that is available locally. Some are offered free of charge, while others are offered at a minimal fee. I am an American Heart Association BLS instructor and I can only share the basic information. I cannot show proper procedure, techniques and I cannot certify you unless you sit in a clas. I can only provide basic knowledge and awareness through the web.
Remember, “If you’re not always prepared, you’re never prepared”