Students are taught how to use a bag valve mask. Here, Twyla Ross secures the mask while James Hill gives air. For all of its life-saving potential, the thought of using CPR strikes fear in the hearts of many people. But CPR is becoming more user-friendly thanks to devices such as a face shield that can double as a key chain, and a small, automated defibrillator. Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating or beats too poorly to adequately circulate blood.
Breathing stops soon after the heart stops beating.
Heart disease is the most common cause of cardiac arrest. Drowning, choking and certain drugs also can cause the heart to stop. CPR is a combination of rescue breathing, which supplies oxygen, and chest compressions, which help circulate oxygen. Without CPR, the brain will begin to die within four to six minutes. Just a few simple skills.