Scientific Journal: The Science behind Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation Every single living cell in our body requires oxygen and other nutrients in order to stay alive and function properly. However, being multi-cellular organisms, this is not possible without the help of a transport system to carry these essential molecules to each and every cell as required. This transport system is the circulatory system, which through the work of the heart, lungs, blood vessels and the blood, is able to transport these to each of the cells. The heart is a fist-sized organ which acts as a muscular pump from the day you are born to the day you die, each day pumping the equivalent of 14,000 litres of blood. Lying behind the sternum and above the diaphragm,…show more content… The large amount of panic leads to a higher consumption of oxygen, resulting in an accumulation of carbon dioxide in the circulation which stimulates the need to breathe. As an involuntary response, the person would begin to draw in breath, resulting in water reaching the airway which is either coughed up or swallowed. However, if water continues to be taken in, it may reach the lower airways which would cause the throat to spasm and seal off the path to the lungs. This inhibits the ability to breathe in until the person becomes unconscious and the throat relaxes, allowing water to rapidly flow and fill up the lungs. Therefore, when someone is a victim of near-drowning, the primary problem is a lack of oxygen since the lungs are filled with…show more content… In both cases, more often than not, the casualty would be in a state where he or she is unconscious, not breathing and a weak or undetectable pulse The chest compressions aim to restore the circulation in the body and transport blood to the vital organs. Therefore through the chest compressions one is manually performing the function of the heart itself. This is why precision and consistency during chest compressions is essential. By placing your hands in the centre of the chest, between the nipples, and performing 5 centimetre deep chest compressions at the rate of 100 compressions per minute, you are able to mimic the beating action of the heart, achieving the highest
