I thought manual compression in CPR is primarily used to keep the heart in a shockable rhythm longer to allow the arrival of defibrillator. So why does tv shows such as E.R. show doctors performing manual compression after cardiac arrest when defibrillator is readily available? What is the actual procedure used by emergency room?
2006-10-13 06:56:09 · 15 answers · asked by M 3 in Health ➔ General Health Care ➔ First Aid
The compressions in CPR are not to keep the heart in a shockable rhythm. The compressions are to keep the blood moving troughout your body to keep oxygen going to all of the organs and cells that make up the body. In an ER they use CPR to keep the blood moving. They shock patients with a shockable rhythm to stop the heart. They stop the heart with the shock in order for the heart to reset itself. Your heart contracts because of an electrical impulse. The rhythms of the heart are the measurement of these electrical impulses.
2006-10-13 13:13:34 · answer #1 · answered by schnees7 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You watch way too much television! And no, manual compression is not about keeping the heart in a "shockable rhythm", it's about getting the heart to beat and keeping blood flowing. A defibrillator is used when a heart actually stops. If you use it while the heart is still beating, you can actually stop the heart or put it into an irregular rhythm. Today's defibs are almost fool proof as most monitor the heart for you.
I highly recommend that you attend a CPR class (check with the American Heart Association or Red Cross). Most will even teach the proper use of a defib.
2006-10-14 02:29:49 · answer #2 · answered by cgspitfire 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Compressisons are done to try and circulate blood through the body to provide your organs with the oxygen they need to work. Compressions are not going to keep your heart in a shockable rhythm, they are a "bridge" until you can get medications into someone and use a defibrilator to hopefully get the heart beating properly again. Defibrilators provide a jolt of electricity to the heart in an attempt to "reset" it...hearts stop for a lot of reasons and if it is because the electrical pathway that makes it beat gets messed up, "shocking" someone can help the pathway get back on track. Meanwhile, you need to get that blood flowing though the body somehow or your organs will be severly damaged from lack of oxygenated blood. You do compressions between shocks to keep that blood moving. Go to www.americanheart.org to learn all about CPR and ACLS. You can learn CPR and how to use an automatic defibrilator (like they have in hospitals and malls) through an american heart association course. ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) is the protocol used throughout the US in hospitals when someone goes into cardiac arrest, and you must be a healthcare provider (doctor, nurse, emt/paramedic) to hold that certification.
2006-10-13 12:00:32 · answer #3 · answered by Danerz 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The "ACLS Provider course" teaches to check airway, breathing, Circulation. When circulation is absent, you begin chest compressions while you get the machine ready and do a "quick look" with your paddles to check heart rythem. IF the rythem is shockable, the pt will then be shocked, up to three times. Then CPR will resume and epinephrine will be administered and ECG will be applied. 60 seconds of CPR will continue to allow epi to circulate, then rythem will be analyized again. The pt may be shocked again. There is so much to type so I will stop there. IF you want more info, go to the link below. It may or may not help you.
2006-10-14 07:50:42 · answer #4 · answered by sirus3810 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
In the simplest terms, the defibrillator is used to shock the heart try to reestablish a good rhythm in the heart. CPR is used to force the blood through the body to continue oxygen to the body organs that need it.
2006-10-13 18:34:30 · answer #5 · answered by Jim T 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I beleive CPR also helps keep some circulation, but does not help with brain activity. Yes the defibrilator dose shock the heart, but not in all cases is it needed. I believe its all cases by case and shows like ER often over Dramatize it
2006-10-13 18:17:56 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
A defibrillator can only be used for certain rhythms. If the heart has no rhythm, or if it is in the wrong rhythm, then the AED (defibrillator) won't work.
CPR is used to keep oxygen flowing to the brain (by keeping blood flowing, which delivers the oxygen). That is its sole focus.
2006-10-13 12:10:04 · answer #7 · answered by EvilBunny 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Because you can shock so much then drugs and while their giving meds and stuff you will do CPR. in between Shock you do CPR. Shock is use to try and jump start the heart. Usually by the time they get to the ER even if they have had CPR and even shocked, only about 20% will ultimately make it. I was a ER nurse for 3 years. But its not as dramatic as on TV. although they do get some stuff pretty good.
2006-10-13 07:30:53 · answer #8 · answered by Belladonna 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Defib is not used as another method to CPR. it is for shock stimulation to the heart muscle. In other uses, a Doctor can shock a heart at a certain time between rhythms to correct a bad rhythm. Some defibs also have a built in pace maker.
2006-10-13 07:03:01 · answer #9 · answered by DenMan 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think it matters according to time and location, if you are in a hallway you don't have one right there to use. You have to do it manually.
2006-10-13 07:04:18 · answer #10 · answered by mandylynn77 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋