How To Save A Life

Things in life don't always go the way we would like them to. No one expects to be presented with a crisis where a loved one's life is in danger. However, it does happen. If it did, would you know how to save a life? 

Nearly a year ago now I woke up to a nightmarish situation. My husband was having a seizure. He was lying on his back making the most terrifying noise and his face was grey. When I look back at it, I know that there was nothing remotely 'planned' about the way in which I responded. How can you expect to think clearly when someone you love is in danger? I responded intuitively and, somehow, Ben's airway was cleared and he ended up on his side in the recovery position. Before I really felt I had got a grip on what was happening my mother had arrived and the paramedics were on their way. Ben was still unresponsive until the moment the ambulance crew arrived, but I could hear him breathing and the immediate heart-wrenching fear was alleviated.

Since that time, Ben has been on medication and has been completely well. He's had no more trouble with seizures and it looks likely to stay that way. I've seen for myself now the vital importance of everyone learning skills for basic life support.

Of course, this is reinforced by my carer. Recently I took an Advanced Life Support course which I'm required to do as a doctor (we repeat the course every 4 years). One of the things that really stood out to me is the vital importance of bystander CPR. Let me explain what that means.

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is not what you see in the movies when an attractive woman is underwater for one minute and a hunky lifeguard pulls her out of the water and gives her "the kiss of life". It's not often that someone wakes up spluttering and looks around with tears of appreciation in their eyes. A vague rub around the chest area doesn't help either. 

However, if your loved one has a cardiac arrest you do not want to be standing there looking around and waiting for the ambulance. When that paramedic arrives, your relative could already have had no blood pumping around his body for ten or more minutes. Which means his tissues will not be receiving oxygen and will die. Some of those tissues include the brain. 

So, what do you do? 

It can be as easy as ABC. 

Airway  Why do we do airway first?

It's not just because it conveniently starts with an "A". 

It's because a blocked airway can kill you quickest. 

Managing someone's airway can be as simple as holding it open by lifting their chin. No one is asking you to do a tracheotomy! When you check the airway, you can check if they are... 

Breathing Traditionally we think of "mouth-to-mouth" when talking about resuscitation because breathing is important and we need oxygen, right? But, the only reason we can breathe into and for someone else is that we don't use all of our oxygen. Which has led to some interesting changes in Basic Life Support. The most important think of all seems to be...

Circulation We have all of that oxygen already in our blood, it's just that it's not being delivered when the heart isn't pumping. Which is where CPR comes in. 

To be effective CPR should be 5-6cm deep and a speed of 100 beats per minute. Grab a cushion as your dummy and try out doing that for a few minutes on a springy mattress. It hurts. If you're doing it right, you probably won't be able to maintain it for more than 2 minutes. You need other people around to call for help, take over when you're tired and look after the airway. 

BUT - if you can do only one thing after you've called for help, check the pulse and if you can't feel it do CPR. 

Learn There are many great resources out there to help you learn Basic Life Support skills:

• There are great apps. I've recently been looking at one called "Lifesaver". I thoroughly recommend it. 
• Read this Basic Life Support guide from the Resuscitation Council. 
• Learn as a family by attending a course - learning for yourself is brilliant, of course, but what if you aren't present? What if you're the one on the floor? Husbands, wives, children... learn how to save a life.