Life after you've given CPR

Coping after you've given CPR

Many people are admired for stepping in to help save a life and are glad they tried, whatever happens. Even though it’s the right thing to do, using CPR on someone can be a shocking and traumatic event for many reasons.  

Most out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen in the home, so you may have done CPR on a loved one. Feeling that you almost lost them and that it might happen again is a very common worry for those who’ve done CPR.

You may have given CPR to a stranger and had to deal with the sudden shock during and difficult emotions afterwards. Many find it hard to going through such a life changing event. You might feel new emotions and are unsure how to process what happened. 

Even medical professionals with years of training can be affected. This is understandable and it’s important to look after yourself. This might involve taking a break from work if you can. Speaking to people like friends and family may help, but you may also need to talk to someone professional, to help you process what happened. 

What happens after you've done CPR?

After you’ve given CPR, paramedics will take over at the scene and continue the life saving treatment you started. 

CPR keeps blood flowing around their body to make sure their organs and brain are getting enough oxygen. A defibrillator will then deliver a controlled electric shock to try and bring back their heart rhythm. There won’t always be a defibrillator nearby so the police or paramedics will bring one. 

As soon as the ambulance crew can, they’ll transport the patient to hospital. If you know the person, you’ll have been asked to make your way there. Immediately afterwards, it’s normal to have feelings of shock and you may find it hard to process to what just happened.  

If the person survived after CPR

If the person survived, you may already know how vital it is that you stepped in. 

It’s important to keep in mind that:

• Many people have no memory of their cardiac arrest and resuscitation.
• Cardiac arrests often make the person change their lifestyle or get treatment for an unknown condition, which improves their life.
• Many of those who have a cardiac arrest will receive treatment to avoid it happening again. 
• If the person affected is a friend or family member, it’s important to talk to them and be open about your feelings. 
• If the person was a stranger, it may help to keep in touch and share your feelings on the experience. 

What happens if CPR and defibrillation doesn’t work? 

By calling 999 and starting CPR you’ve done the best possible thing to help. However, some people won’t survive a cardiac arrest, even if they’ve had treatment from paramedics.

This can be because of: 

• the underlying cause of their cardiac arrest 
• the length of time before CPR or defibrillation is started 
• the type of cardiac arrest they had. 

Read Sue's story to see how she coped when she lost her husband despite performing CPR on him. 

• The shock from performing CPR may give Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (or PTSD). 

Expert tips on managing the emotional impact of CPR

Dr Marco Mion, Clinical Psychologist at Essex Cardiothoracic Centre, says that after performing CPR it’s very common to have feelings of guilt, especially if the person doesn’t survive. “Afterwards people often think ‘what if I’d done it for longer, what if I’d started earlier, what if I’d put my hands in different places…?’ But there are so many variables, it’s not just performing CPR that determines the outcome.” 

Some people won’t survive, even if the CPR is done by a healthcare professional. This could be because of the underlying cause of their cardiac arrest, or the type of cardiac arrest rhythm they’re in, or the length of time before CPR or defibrillation is started.  

You might feel angry towards the person who collapsed, and then you might feel guilty at being angry, Dr Mion says. It can be useful to remember these feelings are normal.  

Everyone will need support at some point after performing CPR, Dr Mion says, but more so if the person doesn’t survive.  

“People might not be offered follow-up support and then it’s easy to withdraw, particularly if you’re feeling guilty. If you’ve performed CPR and are struggling, please ask your GP for help.”

• Get support if you have performed CPR
• For mental health support you can contact Mind on 0300 123 3393, or email [email protected].

If someone you know has performed CPR, ask them how they’re feeling, Dr Mion suggests. Listen to what they’re telling you and give them an opportunity to express everything they need to. “Try again,” he says, “as they might not want to talk in week one, but want to talk in week five, and there might be other things on top – like grief, which is a complicated process. But just checking in with them is a great thing to do.”

Do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation order

Some people will have a do not attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation (DNACPR or DNR) decision or order. This is when someone asks not to be given CPR if they have a cardiac arrest or stop breathing. 

It doesn’t affect any other medical treatment and is different to withdrawal of treatment. If someone has an active DNACPR in place, the paramedics may be told to stop resuscitation.

If you attempted CPR and the person didn’t survive, you followed the recommended advice to save them. Not everyone survives CPR. It’s very important that you did what you could. 

Looking after your emotional wellbeing after you’ve performed CPR

Everyone has different ways of coping after a traumatic event and most people will feel better in time. It’s important to take the time out of you need it.

Try some of our tips if you feel overwhelmed by what happened: 

• Talk to your friends or family about how you're feeling. 
• Spend time doing things you enjoy or make you feel less anxious. This might include a walk, mindfulness or sitting in the garden. 
• Ask for help from healthcare professionals. This could be the doctors and nurses looking after your loved one or your GP. 
• Read more on cardiac arrest (and on the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest) as well as caring for a loved one who's had a cardiac arrest and what support you’re entitled to.
• Read about looking after your emotional wellbeing, including counselling and other therapies. 
• Ask your work for some time off to look after a loved one or come to terms with the experience. Find out if they have any counselling services you can use. 
• Read our Heart Matters article to see how others coped after giving CPR.

When to seek further help?

The time it takes to get back to 'normal' will be different for everyone. You may be so focused on looking after a loved one that you forget about looking after yourself. 

There’s no right or wrong way to feel after witnessing a cardiac arrest. The feelings you have may include: 

• shock 
• emotional ups and downs 
• anxiety or flashbacks 
• blaming yourself 
• want to be alone more than usual 
• feeling numb or hopeless. 

Physical symptoms may include: 

• not being able to sleep or nightmares  
• fatigue 
• agitation or a racing heartbeat 
• difficulty concentrating. 

If these signs don’t go away or get worse, you should make an appointment to see your GP. It may also be helpful to read about looking after your mental health as the signs may be a sign of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or depression. 

Heart Helpline and other support

• To speak to a cardiac nurse call our Heart Helpline. 
• Speak to others with heart and circulatory disease in our HealthUnlocked online community. 
• Talk to others who have witnessed a cardiac arrest through Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK’s Facebook group. 
• Get in touch with your local Ambulance Service. They may be able to talk to you about your event.