Cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure using chest compressions, sometimes with rescue breaths, to sustain circulation and oxygen delivery when the heart or breathing stops.

Chest compression: Rhythmic pressure on the chest that generates blood flow during CPR. Compressions are CPR’s central action and sustain circulation between heartbeats.
Basic life support: Initial recognition and emergency care for cardiac arrest and other life-threatening conditions. CPR is a core component of basic life support.
Cardiac arrest: The sudden loss of effective heart activity, causing circulation to stop. CPR is performed in response to cardiac arrest, not simply any heart problem.
Chain of survival: A sequence of coordinated actions intended to improve survival after cardiac arrest. Early CPR is one link connecting recognition, defibrillation, and advanced care.
Rescue breathing: Breaths given to provide oxygen to someone who is not breathing effectively. Ventilations add oxygen, especially when cardiac arrest follows respiratory failure.
Hands-only CPR: CPR using continuous chest compressions without rescue breaths. It offers bystanders a simpler approach for many sudden adult cardiac arrests.
Heart attack: Damage to heart muscle caused by reduced blood flow through a coronary artery. A heart attack can trigger cardiac arrest, but the terms describe different conditions.
Out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: Cardiac arrest occurring outside a hospital or other healthcare facility. Bystander CPR can preserve circulation before emergency professionals arrive.
Coronary perfusion pressure: The pressure gradient that drives blood through the heart’s own arteries. CPR must build this pressure to make return of spontaneous circulation more likely.
Pediatric basic life support: Resuscitation guidance for infants and children with life-threatening breathing or circulation problems. Children often arrest after respiratory problems, changing the emphasis on ventilation.

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