Life support

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/life-support

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the core principle?To sustain vital organ function during critical failure
2. What is the basic life support (BLS) components?CPR, choking relief (Heimlich maneuver), bleeding control, AED usage
3. How does CPR help someone in a medical emergency?CPR gives the heart and brain extra oxygen by pumping blood and helps the person stay alive until a doctor can take over. Doing CPR quickly can double or triple the chances of survival.
4. What is the Heimlich maneuver and when is it used?The Heimlich maneuver is a quick move that helps a person who is choking by pushing air out of their lungs. It is done when someone cannot breathe because something is blocking their airway.

Vital Organ Failure: The cessation or severe impairment of function in essential organs like the heart, lungs, or brain.
Automated External Defibrillator (AED): A portable device that analyzes heart rhythms and can deliver an electric shock to restore a normal beat.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO): A life support technology that provides prolonged cardiac and respiratory support outside the body.