Initiating the Chain of Survival

In the context of cardiac arrest, quick employment of BLS has been shown to increase the chances of survival for individuals experiencing heart attacks. To increase the chances of surviving a cardiac event, the rescuer should employ the outlined steps in the Adult Chain of Survival. (Figure 1).

The heart is not the usual cause of emergencies in children and infants, though this age group has the highest frequency of reported problems due to breathing issues that give way to cardiac arrest. The first and most delicate step of the Pediatric Chain of Survival is prevention (Figure 2).

Figure 2