Explain heart attack and CPR

Recognizing a heart attack fast, and knowing what to do if a heart stops, are two separate skills this requirement asks you to explain — not perform on a person, since CPR always requires hands-on certified training to actually use.

Tell the Five Most Common Signals of a Heart Attack

• Chest pain, pressure, or squeezing that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back.
• Pain spreading to the shoulder, arm, back, neck, or jaw.
• Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort.
• Cold sweat, nausea, or lightheadedness.
• A sense that something is seriously wrong, sometimes with no pain at all — especially in women, who more often have subtler symptoms.

Explain the Steps of CPR

CPR keeps blood moving to the brain and organs when the heart has stopped, buying time until emergency responders or an AED (automated external defibrillator) can restart it.

1. Check the scene and the person: Ensure the area is safe. Tap the person’s shoulder and shout, “Are you OK?” Check for breathing or signs of life for no more than 10 seconds.
2. Call 911 and get an AED: If the person is unresponsive and not breathing (or only gasping), send someone immediately to call 911 and retrieve an automated external defibrillator (AED).
3. Position on a firm surface: Place the person flat on their back on the ground or a firm surface.
4. Give 30 chest compressions: Place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest, place your other hand on top, and interlace your fingers. Push hard and fast at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute:
   • Adult: Compress at least 2 inches deep.
   • Child: Compress about 2 inches deep (using one or two hands).
   • Infant: Compress about 1.5 inches deep (using 2 or 3 fingers).
   • Allow the chest to return completely to its normal position (recoil) between compressions.
5. Give 2 rescue breaths: Open the airway using the head-tilt/chin-lift maneuver (press gently on the forehead while lifting the chin). Using a breathing barrier, pinch the nose and blow into the mouth for about 1 second, watching for the chest to rise. Give two breaths, taking no more than 10 seconds total.
6. Repeat cycles: Continue repeating 30 compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths until:
   • An AED arrives and is ready to analyze or shock.
   • The person shows obvious signs of life.
   • Emergency medical responders or another trained first-aider takes over.
   • You become too exhausted to continue.

Explaining these steps satisfies this requirement. Actually performing CPR on a real person requires certified hands-on training from an organization like the American Red Cross or American Heart Association — consider taking a course as a next step beyond what’s required here.