This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 140.192.76.60 (talk) at 02:00, 29 March 2006 (Addition to Circulation to suggest stopping major bleeds to make CPR more effective). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
Revision as of 02:00, 29 March 2006 by 140.192.76.60 (talk) (Addition to Circulation to suggest stopping major bleeds to make CPR more effective)(diff) ← Previous revision | Latest revision (diff) | Newer revision → (diff)ABC is an acronym that stands for Airway, Breathing and Circulation. It is used in many first aid programs to remind first-aiders the order in which to check the body's primary life support systems (breathing and circulation). Below each letter of the acronym is briefly described.
Airway
Check to make sure that the airway is clear, or, open the airway to ensure the tongue (or other obstruction) does not interrupt airflow. If a patient's airway is not cleared, it must be cleared.
Breathing
Check to make sure the patient is breathing. In first aid, the check is usually 10 to 15 seconds. If a patient is not breathing but has a pulse, begin Rescue Breathing.
Circulation
Check to make sure the patient has a pulse. If a patient has no pulse, begin CPR. It may also be helpful, if you have another assistant, to stop any major bleeding at this point while CPR is in progress and without delaying prompt CPR.
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