Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a hands-on emergency intervention used to restore breathing and a heartbeat in a person who has gone into cardiac arrest. Common causes of cardiac arrest are a heart attack or near-drowning.
CPR involves performing chest compressions and, in some cases, rescue (“mouth-to-mouth”) breathing. These techniques can keep blood flowing to the brain and other organs until medical help arrives. When oxygen-rich blood cannot get to the brain, brain damage can occur within minutes.
Anyone can learn how to perform CPR via an online or in-person training workshop. Here are the basic principles and techniques involved in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.