INDIANAPOLIS — When a person goes into cardiac arrest, their chance of surviving depends on immediately receiving CPR. The American Heart Association kicks off CPR and AED awareness week by showing RTV6 viewers how easy it is to learn these life-saving skills (tutorial available in the video player above).
Providing CPR, data shows 46 percent of people who go into cardiac arrest not at the hospital get the immediate help they need before medics show up.
The American Heart Association shows us how easy it is to use hands-only CPR, which is recommended for adults and teens. It is suggested to use CPR with mouth to mouth for children, victims of drowning, drug overdoses or those who collapse because of breathing problems.
"You'll get beside the person. You'll put the meat of the palm of your hand right in the center of the chest, interlock your fingers and keep your arms straight. Get right over them so you can push down with the most force," Tim Harms, an instructor with the American Heart Association, said.
You can press the chest to songs with 100 to 120 beats per minute, like 'Staying Alive' and Baby Shark.'
Another life-saving device you can use is AED.
You follow the simple steps on the device which will provide a shock through the chest to the heart.
"You can't hurt someone, so if you put it on and try to hit this shock button, it won't shock somebody unless it analyzes the rhythm and that a shock is advised, it would tell you to stand clear, make sure no one else is touching the person, so you don't get shocked," Harms advises. "Then it would provide the shock and hopefully re-start a person's heart."
Always call 911, begin CPR, and have someone find an AED. You can make a difference if performed immediately — data shows this can double, or even triple, a cardiac arrest victim's chance of living.
