How to Perform CPR on the Elderly

CPR is a life-saving practice used to force oxygen and blood through the bodies of patients suffering from cardiac or respiratory arrest. While CPR is easy to learn, there are a few basic safety precautions to keep in mind when performing CPR on the elderly. Because elderly patients have unique health concerns, there are a few things to keep in mind if you need to perform CPR on the elderly.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Position the elderly victim to receive CPR. Pay special care to the fact that an elderly patient may have suffered broken bones if they fell while suffering cardiac or respiratory arrest. Be sensitive to any harm they may have already suffered while moving the victim onto his back, facing upwards.

2. Open the victim's mouth and check to make sure that there are no obstructions to prevent oxygen from reaching the lungs. For example, a piece of food that's lodged in the throat can negate your CPR efforts. Sweep the victim's mouth with your fingers to remove any obstructions.

3. Deliver a pair of "rescue breaths." Clamp your mouth around the victim's mouth, forming an airtight seal. A rescue breath should be expelled forcefully, within a single second.

4. Locate the spot in which to administer chest compressions. Compressions should be applied to the center of the chest, about 1 inch beneath the nipple-line. If you administer chest compressions too low, you can cause the sternum to break at the xiphoid process.

5. Deliver 30 firm chest compressions. Be careful when administering chest compressions, as there's an increased risk of bone-breaks associated with elderly patients.

6. Deliver two more breaths into the victim's mouth. Check to make sure the chest swells as breaths are given.

7. Repeat the cycle until the victim recovers or trained emergency response workers arrive to relieve you of the CPR duty.

8. Clear the area around a victim once they recover. If your CPR efforts are successful, expect the patient to gasp and choke for breath. The air forced into the stomach through CPR may cause the patient to vomit.

9. For complete and detailed information on how to perform CPR, consult the official guidelines listed on the website of the American Heart Association. In addition to basic directions, you can find troubleshooting tips and advice for treating patients with special needs, such as the elderly (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• While it can be intimidating to perform CPR on an elderly person, you shouldn't be afraid to do it. There may be minor risks associated with administering CPR to the elderly, but at the point that CPR needed, you're dealing with a patient that could potentially die. Even if your CPR is less than perfect, it's better than no CPR at all.

Resources

• Complete CPR guidelines from the American Heart Association

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[jroberts113]

on 5/12/2009 I just was got my re certification online. I was surprised that I was able to do it online.I used www.NationalCPRCertificaiton.comThere are several online companies online so do your homework as to what one is nationally accredited.

[drjps]

on 10/16/2008 Guidelines for CPR is as important as CPR itself. Specific CPR for infants will be of high value to service providers, for all delieveries in many countries are not hospital based. Dr.Sharma