What is cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and how did it save Eriksen’s life? – KBC

The Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen was given CPR on the pitch during Denmark’s Euro 2020 match against Finland but what is it, how did it save his life and how should you behave if you find yourself in an emergency?

On Saturday, Christian Eriksen suffered a cardiac arrest. The swift intervention of team mate Simon Kjaer and the medical staff saved his life.

Eriksen’s sudden collapse prompted Kjaer to clear his team-mate’s airways and start the life-saving CPR technique, which was continued with the aid of a defibrillator and professional medical staff.

Fortunately, the Denmark captain’s first aid skills proved vital and Eriksen is now recovering in hospital and considered to be out of danger.

CPR is quite easy to learn and it can be the difference between life and death before emergency medical services can arrive to help out.

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and is a medical technique which is given to someone who goes into cardiac arrest.

That occurs when the heart encounters an electrical issue and stops pumping blood around the body and to the brain, causing the person to fall out of consciousness and stop breathing.

Medics define this as ‘clinical death’, which is the onset of biological death, although CPR can help re-start the person’s heart functions and save their life.

By administering chest compressions and rescue breaths, the CPR performer helps to pump blood and oxygen around the person’s body, taking over the role of their heart and lungs.