Cardiac arrest is the abrupt loss of heart function that stops blood flow to the body.
When the heart stops beating, we can save life by performing CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation immediately. It is also more effective with electric shock and other special treatments.

When one’s heart stops beating, the supply of blood to the body stops as heart beats and respiration stop. Hence, one may die if the state of cardiac arrest continues. CPR is an emergency lifesaving procedure performed when the heart stops beating by maintaining artificial respiration and blood circulation.

Brain cells begin to damage after 4 to 5 minutes of cardiac arrest. Therefore, CPR should be performed immediately upon the actual or alleged cardiac arrest. Without CPR or it started belatedly, there is a high chance that the patient may not become conscious even if his/her heart restarts beating.

Cardiac arrest can happen regardless of time and place. Sudden cardiac arrest mostly takes place at home, on the street, at work, and in public places. Hence, anyone who first witness a person with cardiac arrest must start CPR immediately.

We all should learn CPR. If everyone can perform CPR, then someone can save my life when my heart stops.

To save their lives, specialized emergency treatment such as electric shock, medication, etc. should be carried out promptly in line with CPR. If a bystander does not perform CPR immediately, chances of survival of the cardiac arrest patient become slimmer and the risk of brain damage after survival increases.

First thing you need to do is to ask for help to someone else nearby or call 119. If you are connected to 119, do not hang up the phone and keep talking to the rescue team. If the staff explains you how to conduct CPR on the phone, you may start CPR following his/her instructions.

You must start chest compression, even though you do not carry out mouth-to-mouth breathing. It is much more effective to conduct chest compression without artificial respiration, instead of doing nothing. In particular, chest compression only without artificial ventilation immediately after cardiac arrest has a similar effect to that with artificial breathing.

The transmission of infectious diseases such as AIDS, hepatitis, tuberculosis, etc. through mouth-to-mouth-resuscitation has not reported yet.

Korea Association of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (KACPR), Korean Red Cross, and fire stations provide CPR training programs. To apply for CPR training of KACPR, join a member of the association and submit the application. Application is available via online only. The duration of CPR training is about 2 to 3 hours.