If you have ever witnessed somebody having a cardiac arrest, then you’ve probably witnessed even more people gathered around such as person with no clue of what to do except ask if there is a doctor close by. What most people don’t seem to realize is that sometimes they can be just as effective as the doctor. There will not always be a medical professional close by when somebody has a cardiac arrest. In case only one person knows CPR then this could be the difference between life and death for the one who’s having the cardiac arrest. This one person could be you.

Hands-only CPR as taught by Vinnie Jones

There are various techniques of CPR, which have been advocated for in the past, but it seems that these change every other year. Many health professionals currently advocate for hands-only CPR which experts suggest is more effective than mouth to mouth resuscitation. In a recent public service announcement, the British Heart Foundation used Vinnie Jones to help pass this message in a gangster themed ad that will no doubt get the attention of many.

The three steps of CPR

In the words of British action star Vinnie Jones, there are several key steps to take when somebody is suffering from a cardiac arrest.

  1. The first step is to check whether or not the person is responsive. In case he or she is not responding, and he’s not breathing or if they are making a continuous wheezing sound, then it means that their heart has stopped, which means they are having a cardiac arrest.
  2. Call the emergency services. In this case, it helps to know the emergency number of wherever you are; 999 in the UK and 911 in the U.S. and Canada.
  3. Lift the chin up as far as it can go so as to keep the airway open.
  4. Interlock your fingers with the knuckles facing up and push hard right on top of the chest (left side). Push at the rate of about two times every second. You should be pushing down by about 2 inches or 6 centimeters. It is important to push hard because there is little chance of doing any damage, and even if you do, a cracked rib is better than death.
  5. Continue with the CPR until the emergency services arrive or until the person regains consciousness.

The above four steps are the basic procedures involved in CPR and mouth to mouth resuscitation is not necessary. CPR is not magic, and it is definitely not as hard as most people would like to think.

In the U.S., there are over 350,000 cases of cardiac arrest that occur with the patient not in the hospital. This means that there are over 300,000 people each year who are at the risk of death simply because most people don’t know one of the simplest lifesaving procedures out there. A lesson in CPR, whether taught by Vinnie Jones or anyone else is probably one that you should never forget.