Brain damage starts between 4 - 6 minutes. Irreversible brain damage after 10 minutes.

The steps and techniques in the video are up to date and conform with the latest (2006) CPR guidelines.

Awesome video, I had no idea the method was different for someone who is "large". As a person who has been given the Heimlich I can say please pay attention becuase it may come in handy one day.

nice PSA vid ... i've had to give cpr and the heimlich a few times ... can be quite scary!

The CPR bit shows the person receiving treatment without the head being tilted back first. Of course you would need a separate guide for that but having done a CPR course that looked quite wrong to me.

There were alot of things they left out in the CPR portion. I'm certified in CPR/AED and run our Trained Responders unit at work. I do not recommend trying to give someone CPR unless you've had the course.

But otherwise...good vid.

Some Very Important points I forgot to mention. If they are coughing encourage them to keep coughing. The force of a cough is much stronger than an abdominal thrust. Also, NEVER HIT A CHOKING VICTIM ON THE BACK when they are coughing as this could result in a full airway obstruction. Gravity pulls things down. Hitting the back is old school and very wrong.

Deano, the reason the heads not tilted back is that you need both hands for compression. The head may fall forward when you release it. Head tilt is important when performing artficial respirations.

That looks very dangerous to me.. They showed that you should begin CPR (ie. compressions of the heart) once they become unresponsive. It must be said that a halt to breathing does not mean by default that their heart has stopped beating. That is to say, if you compress a healthily beating heart, you can cause it to beat irregularly - 'embarrassing' it.

The best thing to do is attempt to clear the airway by lying on their side and using your finger before attempting to begin CPR. Certainly... do a first aid course rather than reading a website or watching a quick video, is probably the best advice

"They showed that you should begin CPR (ie. compressions of the heart) once they become unresponsive. It must be said that a halt to breathing does not mean by default that their heart has stopped beating. That is to say, if you compress a healthily beating heart, you can cause it to beat irregularly - 'embarrassing' it."


Compressions for a choking victim are not done to get the heart started as the heart is still beating. the compressions are to force the air in the lungs out through the trachea (windpipe).

"The best thing to do is attempt to clear the airway by lying on their side and using your finger before attempting to begin CPR"

The finger technique is only used when you could clearly see the food at the back of the persons mouth otherwise no blind finger sweeps should be performed.

The steps and techniques in the video are up to date and conform with the latest (2006) CPR guidelines.

No offense BoneyD but it looks like you CPR information is a bit outdated.

actually, boney ... a randomized trial of maneuvers to open the airway in cadavers and 2 prospective studies in anesthetized volunteers show that higher sustained airway pressures can be generated using the chest thrust rather than the abdominal thrust.

it was really hard for me to get out of the habit of using the abdominal thrusts in the unresponsive vic, but ... i go with what's been proven to be the best, approved way!

also, if you had a complete FBAO ... i'm sure you would want someone to do SOMETHING to try and save your life!

Hmmm. Ladybug seems like she's knows her stuff. Wonder what her secret is?

Combat medi.. I mean nurse.

I'm always happy to be stood corrected and that the video is better explained in the process, since it feels too abbreviated. Thank you for the clarification!

May I venture that this video is still far too short to be considered any more than a summary of the proper steps. There should be a recommendation to seek further training, in my opinion - ie. on when it is 'necessary' to perform CPR. Was I at least right in saying that compressing a beating heart is bad?

Under no circumstances should you perform CPR based on a video you saw online.

Except if you have no other choice.