Editing Life support (section)

{{Short description|In medicine}}
{{about|emergency techniques|the equipment used in space travel|Life support system|other uses}}
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| caption      = Endotracheal tube of an emergency ventilator system
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| specialty    = emergency medicine, intensive care medicine
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'''Life support''' comprises the treatments and techniques performed in an emergency in order to support life after the failure of one or more vital organs. Healthcare providers and [[emergency medical technician]]s are generally certified to perform basic and advanced life support procedures; however, basic life support is sometimes provided at the scene of an emergency by family members or bystanders before emergency services arrive. In the case of cardiac injuries, [[cardiopulmonary resuscitation]] is initiated by bystanders or family members 25% of the time.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Iwami |first1=Taku |last2=Kawamura |first2=Takashi |last3=Hiraide |first3=Atsushi |last4=Berg |first4=Robert A. |last5=Hayashi |first5=Yasuyuki |last6=Nishiuchi |first6=Tatsuya |last7=Kajino |first7=Kentaro |last8=Yonemoto |first8=Naohiro |last9=Yukioka |first9=Hidekazu |last10=Sugimoto |first10=Hisashi |last11=Kakuchi |first11=Hiroyuki |last12=Sase |first12=Kazuhiro |last13=Yokoyama |first13=Hiroyuki |last14=Nonogi |first14=Hiroshi |date=18 December 2007 |title=Effectiveness of Bystander-Initiated Cardiac-Only Resuscitation for Patients With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest |url=https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.723411 |journal=Circulation |volume=116 |issue=25 |pages=2900–2907 |doi=10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.107.723411 |access-date=4 January 2023|doi-access=free }}</ref> Basic life support techniques, such as performing CPR on a victim of [[cardiac arrest]], can double or even triple that patient's chance of survival.<ref>What is CPR [Internet]. 2013. American heart association; [cited 2013 Nov 5]. Available from: http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/CPRAndECC/WhatisCPR/What-is-CPR_UCM_001120_SubHomePage.jsp</ref> Other types of basic life support include relief from [[choking]] (which can be done by using the [[Heimlich maneuver]]), staunching of [[bleeding]] by direct compression and elevation above the heart (and if necessary, pressure on arterial pressure points and the use of a manufactured or improvised [[tourniquet]]), [[first aid]], and the use of an [[automated external defibrillator]].

The purpose of basic life support (abbreviated BLS) is to save lives in a variety of different situations that require immediate attention. These situations can include, but are not limited to, cardiac arrest, [[stroke]], [[drowning]], choking, accidental injuries, [[violence]], severe [[allergic reaction]]s, [[burn]]s, [[hypothermia]], birth complications, [[drug overdose|drug addiction]], and [[alcohol intoxication]]. The most common emergency that requires BLS is [[cerebral hypoxia]], a shortage of oxygen to the brain due to heart or [[respiratory failure]]. A victim of cerebral hypoxia may die within 8–10 minutes without basic life support procedures. BLS is the lowest level of emergency care, followed by advanced life support and [[Intensive care medicine|critical care]].<ref>
Alic M. 2013. Basic life support (BLS) [Internet]. 3rd. Detroit (MI):Gale; [2013, cited 2013 Nov 5] Available from: http://go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?id=GALE%7CCX2760400129&v=2.1&u=csumb_main&it=r&p=GVRL&sw=w&asid=40d96ff26746d55939f14dbf57297410</ref>