Can CPR Save You From a Drug Overdose?

By Anthony Rodriguez. Published on November 25, 2024.

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In 2023, drug overdoses claimed a life every 5 minutes in the United States ¹. Though the news is grim, these deaths are preventable, and regular people like you can be trained to save lives.

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Drug overdoses have become one of the most prominent public health issues in the United States, with a total of 96,779 overdose deaths recorded between March 2020 and March 2021 ². Of those deaths, 6,198 were located in California, giving the state the highest number of overdoses in that time. These deaths are not equally distributed; according to the California Department of Public Health, rural populations face higher overdose mortality and hospitalization rates compared to their urban counterparts ³. Counties with significant rural areas, such as San Joaquin and Kern, face disproportionately bigger challenges and must continue to face the brunt of this crisis.

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How Do Drug Overdoses Kill?

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Some of the most common mechanisms behind overdose fatalities are (1) respiratory arrest, (2) cardiovascular collapse, and (3) hypoxia (probably from one or both of the first two mechanisms).

Opioid overdose will likely cause respiratory arrest. These drugs are “depressants,” which cause a decrease in vital signs like heart rate and breathing rate. During an overdose, your breathing will slow to the point of oxygen deprivation (hypoxia) or may stop completely.
Cardiovascular collapse is when the heart is unable to adequately pump blood throughout the body, usually during cardiac arrest, heart attacks, strokes, or arrhythmias. Many drugs can cause cardiovascular collapse alone or in combination with others.
Both respiratory arrest and cardiovascular collapse will lead to hypoxia, a condition when an organ (usually referring to the brain) cannot get enough oxygen to continue normal functioning. Hypoxia will cause brain cells to die within 5 minutes, and permanent damage is nearly certain after 10 minutes ⁴.

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How Does CPR Affect Survival?

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According to recent research, basic life support and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), can improve survival rates, reduce the need for hospitalization, and reduce the risk of brain damage ^{5, 6}. In general, only 10% of those who experience cardiac arrest outside a hospital will survive, but bystander CPR can significantly increase the likelihood of survival ⁷.

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There are two primary ways that CPR can impact the survival of a drug overdose victim:

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Blood circulation. Even without rescue breaths, doing chest compressions on the victim to circulate blood will delay hypoxia and brain damage.
Blood oxygenation. If those performing CPR have CPR masks or face shields, rescue breathing can be employed to get oxygen in the victim’s blood. This will buy more time for professional help to arrive.

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Though the average person can’t do much about the opioid crisis on the national level, we can make our impacts at individual and community levels.

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What Can You Do?

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Educate yourself. When you take the time to learn how to identify & respond to a drug overdose, you prepare yourself for a situation that most people are completely unprepared for. some text
- You can find helpful information about how to identify and respond to overdoses here.
- CPR Select’s guide on ‘How to Perform CPR on Drug Overdose Victims.’
Learn Basic Life Support (BLS). If you are ever in a situation where you need to respond to an overdose and the victim is not breathing, Basic Life Support is an invaluable skill that may buy the victim time until professional help arrives. Basic Life Support will keep the victim’s heart pumping which prevents organ damage and death. Click here to sign up for a BLS class in Stockton or Bakersfield.
Keep Emergency Supplies Nearby. There are two essential supplies you should consider purchasing to be ready: a face shield and naloxone/Narcan. You can buy this key-chain face shield to administer rescue breaths (AKA mouth-to-mouth resuscitation). It’s advised that you do not attempt rescue breathing without a face shield in case there are drugs on the victim’s mouth. You should also buy/obtain naloxone (the generic name for Narcan), which physically reverses the effects of a drug overdose. This drug has saved countless lives & should be used on suspected overdoses as soon as possible. You can buy naloxone at your local pharmacy or pick them up for free at your local library.
Encourage Your Loved Ones to Learn Basic Life Support. Drug overdose will remain a reality for the foreseeable future, and the number of people impacted will only increase. By encouraging your loved ones to learn life-saving skills, you can be the influence that leads to someone getting a second chance at life. Promoting BLS training creates a safer community where more people can help each other.
Educate Others & Share Resources. By sharing your knowledge and learning resources with others, you can create a more capable community with more members who are prepared to respond to a drug overdose.

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Sources

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/pressroom/nchs_press_releases/2024/20240515.htm
https://drugabusestatistics.org/drug-overdose-deaths/
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6606153/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/6025-cerebral-hypoxia
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4164578/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0376871602000637
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/4061266/

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Anyone can learn cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which can save lives in an emergency. This article discusses why taking CPR training is so vital, how it may help you become a hero, and how simple it is to learn.

CPR classes are like superhero training. When someone's heart stops or they can't breathe, they teach ordinary folks how to be heroes. You don't have to be a doctor to learn CPR; anyone can do it. And giving CPR within the first few minutes after someone's heart stops might double or even quadruple their odds of survival. In an emergency, time is critical, and CPR can buy valuable time.

Another appealing aspect of CPR is that it is accessible to anyone. Even children as young as 9 years old can learn and retain the knowledge from CPR training. Anyone can have a problem with their heart or breathing, young or old, healthy or unhealthy. By studying CPR, you become a superhero with the ability to assist in a variety of situations. You'll be ready to save the day whether you're at home, in a mall, or beside a pool.

But CPR is more than just being a superhero; it serves as a link between ordinary people and professional treatment. When you perform CPR, you maintain blood flow and breathing, which is critical for the someone in a cardiac emergency since it will keep them alive till the medics arrive. CPR is the first step in saving someone's life.

When you attend a CPR course, you not only learn how to push on the chest and administer breaths; you also gain confidence in dealing with emergency situations. When circumstances are extreme, knowing what to do might help you stay cool and make better judgments. Being prepared makes a significant difference and can save lives.

The best part is that learning CPR is simple and inexpensive. You can learn to be a hero and receive your CPR certification in just one day. Classes from Zenith Career Services also teach you how to use AEDs, machines which can be found in many public spaces and are quite useful in an emergency.

In a nutshell, taking CPR training is equivalent to receiving a superhero's toolkit. It teaches you how to be a lifesaver and how to use your abilities to help others. It's something that can be useful at any time and in any place. Sign up for CPR training if you want to be a real-life hero. Your abilities can make a significant difference in emergencies and save lives.#115a91