Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a first-aid technique used to keep victims of cardiopulmonary arrest alive and to prevent brain damage while more advanced medical help is on the way. CPR has two goals:
1) keep blood flowing throughout the body
2) keep air flowing in and out of the lungs
CPR is a simple technique that requires little or no equipment. What you do is pretty basic:
Blow into the victim's mouth to push oxygenated air into the lungs. This allows oxygen to diffuse through the lining of the lungs into the bloodstream. Compress the victim's chest to artificially re-create blood circulation. Here are the steps that make up CPR:
