Cardiac Arrest: Why Is Airway Management Important During CPR?

By Cristiano Antonino On Dec 22, 2022

Airway and CPR: drug overdoses, sudden injuries, respiratory issues, and myriad other health concerns can trigger cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death, but many of these deaths are preventable.

Bystanders providing CPR immediately can double or triple the chance of survival.

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The figure is even higher when trained first responders are prepared to perform CPR while managing the airway

Airway management is key to successful CPR, and first responders must have the right equipment ready to go.

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Clearing the Airway, It’s CPR 101

Clear the airway before administering CPR.

Cardiac arrest can occur for many reasons, including airway obstructions.

Moreover, drug overdoses and a handful of other medical emergencies can cause vomiting that quickly leads to aspiration, further complicating cardiac arrest.

The right suction machine can promptly clear the airway.

If the patient is actively vomiting or bleeding into the airway, the DuCanto CatheterⓇ is the ideal tool for protecting it.

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Oxygenating the Patient

Bystanders performing CPR are instructed to perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Although this strategy can work, oxygenating the patient is the gold standard in cardiac resuscitation.

There are at least three reasons for this:

Direct resuscitation means coming into contact with any infections the patient may have, as well as exposing an already vulnerable patient to infections from the rescuer.
Oxygenation with a machine enables more control over the process, ensuring that the patient gets neither too little nor too much oxygen. This is especially important with neonates, who have much smaller lungs. A large breath of air may offer too much oxygen, doing significantly more harm than good.

A team-based approach affords better monitoring and control.

One team member can oxygenate the patient while the other performs chest compressions.

This reduces distraction, making it easier to observe additional signs of distress.

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