Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is the revival or return to function of the heart and lungs.
Most people refer to Cardiopulmonary resuscitation as CPR.
It is believed that various forms of CPR have been around for thousands of years.
It is cited in the Books of Kings that the prophet Elisha cuddled a dead boy's body to hers to warm it and then placed her mouth over his.
Doctor H.
R.
Silvester created the Silvester Method of resuscitation in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Dr.
Sylvester recommended laying the patient on their back, and pressing against their chest sixteen times per minute.
IN 1911 the first edition of the Boy Scout Handbook was printed, in it was a description for artificial respiration where the patient was laid on their belly with their head turned to one side.
When the body was in position the living person was suppose to their back to stimulate breathing.
It was basically the same as the Silvester method but with the body flipped the other direction.
In 1957 a man named Peter Safar wrote a book called ABC of Resuscitation.
In the book he stated that CPR was the key to resuscitating a body after a heart attack.
In 1899 two physiologists, Prevost and Batelli, who worked in Switzerland's University of Geneva learned that electric shocks could be used to change the rhythm of a dog's heartbeat.
They called the method defibrillation.
In 1947 defibrillation was used to save a human life.
The first defibrillators were paddle type electrodes that shocked the heart with electric voltage ranging from 110-120 volts.
Today portable defibrillators can be found in all ambulances.
Thanks to the advances in medical technology doctors, paramedics, and EMT's no longer have to rely on CPR to jump start a heart.
During life threatening medical emergencies doctors employ a set of clinical intervention call advanced cardiac life support (ACLS).
The typical components of ACLS are electrocardiograms, emergency pharmacology, and IV access.
ACLS also requires someone to monitor the patients airway.
Many patients do not want their hearts restarted once they stop.
These patients sign a do not resuscitate order.
A do not resuscitate order is a written order that tells a doctor that resuscitation should not be attempted if the patient suffers cardiac or respiratory arrest.
Do not resuscitate orders are most commonly seen in the medical files of patients that have been diagnosed with terminal or life threatening illnesses.
The United States started using do not resuscitate orders in the 1960's when more hospitals where using defibrillators.
If a do not resuscitate order exists medical staff is not allowed to resuscitate for any reason, however if no one know about the patients do not resuscitate order then medical staff is to proceed as if one does not exist and try to resuscitate the patient.
Patients should check their home states laws regarding do not resuscitate orders.
Some states require special forms.
Some states require extra signatures from doctors and/or witness and a notary.
Many patients include do not resuscitate instructions in their Living Will.
Most people refer to Cardiopulmonary resuscitation as CPR.
It is believed that various forms of CPR have been around for thousands of years.
It is cited in the Books of Kings that the prophet Elisha cuddled a dead boy's body to hers to warm it and then placed her mouth over his.
Doctor H.
R.
Silvester created the Silvester Method of resuscitation in the middle of the nineteenth century.
Dr.
Sylvester recommended laying the patient on their back, and pressing against their chest sixteen times per minute.
IN 1911 the first edition of the Boy Scout Handbook was printed, in it was a description for artificial respiration where the patient was laid on their belly with their head turned to one side.
When the body was in position the living person was suppose to their back to stimulate breathing.
It was basically the same as the Silvester method but with the body flipped the other direction.
In 1957 a man named Peter Safar wrote a book called ABC of Resuscitation.
In the book he stated that CPR was the key to resuscitating a body after a heart attack.
In 1899 two physiologists, Prevost and Batelli, who worked in Switzerland's University of Geneva learned that electric shocks could be used to change the rhythm of a dog's heartbeat.
They called the method defibrillation.
In 1947 defibrillation was used to save a human life.
The first defibrillators were paddle type electrodes that shocked the heart with electric voltage ranging from 110-120 volts.
Today portable defibrillators can be found in all ambulances.
Thanks to the advances in medical technology doctors, paramedics, and EMT's no longer have to rely on CPR to jump start a heart.
During life threatening medical emergencies doctors employ a set of clinical intervention call advanced cardiac life support (ACLS).
The typical components of ACLS are electrocardiograms, emergency pharmacology, and IV access.
ACLS also requires someone to monitor the patients airway.
Many patients do not want their hearts restarted once they stop.
These patients sign a do not resuscitate order.
A do not resuscitate order is a written order that tells a doctor that resuscitation should not be attempted if the patient suffers cardiac or respiratory arrest.
Do not resuscitate orders are most commonly seen in the medical files of patients that have been diagnosed with terminal or life threatening illnesses.
The United States started using do not resuscitate orders in the 1960's when more hospitals where using defibrillators.
If a do not resuscitate order exists medical staff is not allowed to resuscitate for any reason, however if no one know about the patients do not resuscitate order then medical staff is to proceed as if one does not exist and try to resuscitate the patient.
Patients should check their home states laws regarding do not resuscitate orders.
Some states require special forms.
Some states require extra signatures from doctors and/or witness and a notary.
Many patients include do not resuscitate instructions in their Living Will.
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