VIDEO: Tip of the Month: Performing CPR on a Cardiac Arrest Victim

February is American Heart Month, and on behalf of the American Heart Association, wants to spread the awareness of heart attacks, strokes and cardiac arrest.

"During heart month, we want to focus not only on heart attacks but the care for cardiac arrest," Gig Harbor Peninsula Division Chief Paul Berlin said.

He said there is a difference between a cardiac arrest and a heart attack.

A cardiac arrest is not caused by a heart attack. It is caused by other problems in the heart, chemical unbalance or congenital diseases.

A hear attack is when part of the blood flow to the heart is interrupted by a clot and causes the heart muscle to start dying.

In October 2010, the American Heart Association adopted new CPR guidelines. Berlin said they change every five years based on scientific research.

"Through several studies, we've found that if chest compression is delivered early and continuously at a high quality in those few minutes of a cardiac arrest, that group had as high of resuscitation rates as those who received ventilation," Berlin said. "In fact, in several of the studies the ones who received chest compressions only had a higher resuscitation rates."

If someone does happen to have a cardiac arrest, Berlin said all you need to save a life is your hands and immediate action of chest compressions during the first few minutes of cardiac arrest.

The new policy doesn't require you to open the victim's airway. Instead, you should immediately start compressing their chest (between their nipples.) 

Berlin said for a lay rescuer, you need to compress their chest at least two inches at a rate of about 100 compressions per minute. Meanwhile, call for help and have someone bring in a defibrillator if it's available.

It's important to switch off every few minutes to make sure the chest is compressed at a consistent rate.