Basic life support (BLS) involves providing chest compressions and rescue breathing to victims of cardiac arrest. It is crucial for sustaining life until advanced medical care can be provided. The primary survey in initial assessment follows the DRABC (danger, response, circulation, airway, breathing) protocol to assess safety, level of consciousness, breathing, and pulse. For an unresponsive victim without breathing or pulse, the rescuer should immediately call for help, retrieve an AED, and begin high-quality chest compressions at a rate of 100-120 per minute with full chest recoil and minimal interruptions, paired with rescue breaths at a 30:2 compression-to-ventilation ratio. CPR should continue until spontaneous

1. C
P
R

2. •Basic Life Support (BLS)
> It is a level of medical care
which is used for victims of
life-threatening illnesses or
injuries until they can be
given full medical care at a
hospital.

3. CPR
- is the single-most important
intervention for a patient in
cardiac arrest, and chest
compressions should be
provided promptly.

4. CHAIN OF SURVIVAL

5. CPR TIMELINE
0-4mins brain death/ damage
unlikely
4-6mins brain damage is possible
6-10mins brain damage is probable
7-10mins brain death probable

8. ⮚ The Primary survey is a crucial
element in the “Initial Assessment”
of a seriously injured patient.

9. D = Danger
R = Response
C = Circulation
A = Airway
B = Breathing
Or ABC
CHECK
SIMULTANEOULY

10. Look
for
hazards
before
you
start

11. Remove the
hazards
If the hazards cannot
be removed
Remove the
victim
immediately

12. Is the victim
conscious..?
Are you
OK?

13. Check for Response
•Tap on the victim’s shoulder and ask, “Are
you alright?”
•If the victim responds, but is injured or
needs medical assistance
• Call for help
• Return and monitor victim

14. If there is no response, Call FOR
HELP
Get an AED
and return to the victim.

15. Pulse Check
•Lay rescuer will be
taught to assume that
cardiac arrest is
present if the
unresponsive victim is
not breathing
•Should take <10 sec.
for healthcare
providers

16. ⮚ If there is no
chest movement
and no pulse . . .
⮚ . . . do cardiac
compression.

17. Chest Compressions
•Rhythmic applications of pressure over the
lower half of the sternum
•Increases intra thoracic pressure
•Directly compresses the heart
•Delivers a small but critical amount of O2
and substrate to the brain and myocardium

18. Chest Compressions
•Place victim supine on a
hard surface
•Rescuer kneels beside
the victims thorax
•Place the heel of the
hand on the sternum in
the center of the chest,
between the nipples

19. Chest Compressions
•Place the heel
of the 2nd hand
on top of the
1st, so that the
hands are
overlapped and
parallel

20. Adult BLS Sequence:
Chest Compressions
•Technique
•Push hard at
least 2 (5cm)
•Allow complete
chest recoil

21. Chest Compressions
• Compressor role should be changed
every 2 minutes, taking <5 sec. to
switch
• Compression-ventilation ratio for adult
BLS: 30:2

22. When consciousness is lost,
airway obstruction
and oxygen deprivation may
develop

23. The tongue is the
most common
cause of
airway obstruction
in an unconscious
victim

24. ⮚ Ensure a
clear airway
& allow
normal
breathing.

25. Open the Airway & Check
Breathing
•Place the victim supine on a
hard surface
•If the victim is unresponsive,
roll the victim from the prone
to supine position

26. Head Tilt
Chin Lift
Is the airway
open?
Is the airway
clear?

27. •Open the airway: (For a
lay rescuer)
•Head-tilt chin lift
maneuver to open the
airway of a patient
when no cervical
spine injury
is suspected.

28. Is he
breathing?
Let me
check !!

29. ⮚ Observe for
breathing
⮚ Watch and feel
the chest rise
and fall
⮚ Check breathing
for 5-10 sec.

30. ⮚ Occasional gasps
may be confused
with adequate
breathing
⮚ Treat as if victim is
not breathing

31. Give Rescue Breaths
•2 rescue breaths if
patient is
unresponsive
•Deliver each
rescue breath over
1 second

32. Rescue Breathing W/O Chest
Compressions
For adult
•10 breaths per minute (1 breath every 6
sec.)
•Reassess the pulse approximately every 2
minutes, taking <10 sec.

33. Give Rescue Breaths
•Give a sufficient tidal volume to produce
visible chest rise (approximately 500-600
ml or 6-7 ml/kg)
•Avoid rapid or forceful breaths
• Increases intrathoracic pressure
• Causes gastric inflation

34. Mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing
•Open the victim’s
airway, pinch the
victim’s nose, create
an airtight mouth-to-
mouth seal
•Take a “regular”
(not deep) breath

36. BLS Dos and Don’ts
of Adult High-
Quality CPR

37. Rescuers should
1. Perform chest compressions at a rate of 100-
120/min
2. Compress to a depth of at least 2 inches (5 cm)
3. Allow full recoil after each compression
4. Minimize pauses in compressions
5. Ventilate adequately (2 breaths after 30
compressions, each breath delivered over 1
second, each causing chest rise)

38. Rescuers Should Not
1. Compress at a rate slower than 100/min or
faster than 120/min
2. Compress to a depth of less than 2 inches (5
cm) or greater than 2.4 inches (6 cm)
3. Lean on the chest between compressions
4. Interrupt compressions for greater than 10
seconds
5. Provide excessive ventilation (ie, too many
breaths or breaths with excessive force)

41. When to STOP CPR:
• SPONTANEOUS VENTILATION AND CIRCULATION ARE
DETECTED
• TRAINED PERSONNEL HAS ALREADY ARRIVED
• OPERATOR IS TOO EXHAUSTED
• PHYSICIAN HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE PATIENT IS DEAD

44. • References:
• Academy of emergency science pdf file
• Hghlghts_2020_ECC_Guidelines_English.pdf