Basic Life Support Treatment and Procedure

Basic Life Support (BLS)

It is the recognition and immediate treatment of airway obstruction, respiratory arrest, and cardiac arrest.

• Respiratory Arrest (no breathing, with pulse) – when breathing stops but circulation and pulse continue for sometime.

Causes: drowning, electrical shock, poisoning, suffocation, choking, heart attack

Treatment: Artificial Respiration (AR) – this is the procedure for causing air to flow into and out of a victim’s lung when his natural breathing cease or is inadequate.

Manual Procedure:

1.      Mouth to mouth resuscitation

2.      Mouth to nose resuscitation (for children)

3.      Mouth to mouth and nose resuscitation (baby/infant)

4.      Mouth to stoma resuscitation (if has a tracheostomy)

• Cardiac Arrest (no breathing, no pulse) –  when both breathing and circulation stops and pulse disappears at the same time or soon after.

Causes: drowning, electrical shock, poisoning, suffocation, choking, heart attack

Treatment: Cardio-pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), an emergency procedure applied to a victim whose heart has stopped beating, it involves the combination of AR and AC (artificial circulation) or ECC (External Chest Compression)

ECC – application of rhythmic pressure over the lower half of the sternum, the pressure compresses the heart and produces an artificial inculatory pulse.

Complication of CPR

1. Ribcage fracture
2. Laceration of the liver
3. Distention of the stomach
4. Perforation of the stomach

Don’t in CPR

Jerker, bender, bouncer, rocker, massager, double crosser

When to stop CPR

1.      Victim recovers

2.      Too exhausted to continue

3.      Another trained rescuer takes over

4.      Doctor proclaims death

5.      Medical assistance arrives

• Choking (airway obstruction)

Causes: (partial or complete) 1. anatomical  2. mechanical

First Aid Treatment:  Heimlich Maneuver – an emergency technique to remove foreign body from upper part of lower respiratory tract.

Procedure:

1.      Assess the victim : (ask – “are you choking?”) (can you breathe, cough or speak?)

2.      Perform H.M.

a.       Stand behind the victim

b.      Wrap your arms around the victim’s waist

c.       Make a fist with one hand

d.      Place your fist (thumbside) against the victim’s stomach in the midline just above the navel and well below the rib margin

e.       Gasp the fist with your other hand

f.        Press into stomach with a quick upward thrust

g.       Repeat thrust if necessary

3.      If a victim becomes unconscious:

a.       Lay down the victim, place in flat lying position

b.      Sweep the mouth

c.       Attempt rescue breathing (mouth to mouth)

d.      Straddle to the victim

e.       Give 6 abdominal thrust

f.        Repeat steps b-e as necessary

4.      For obese and pregnant, do the chest thrust

Tags: basic life support, basic life support procedure, basic life support treatment, BLS, cpr, HEALTH

Category: HEALTH