Rescue breathing (previously known as mouth-to-mouth resuscitation) is a life-saving intervention in which you blow air into a person’s mouth after they stop breathing. It is often used with chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) but can also be used on its own if the person’s heart is still beating.
Situations in which rescue breathing may be used include:
- Choking accidents
- Near-drowning
- Drug overdose
- Poisoning
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Severe asthma attack