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CPR

CPR is an acronym that stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This is a procedure that can be performed in an emergency to keep a subject breathing in the event of cardiac or respiratory arrest. CPR is performed by both personnel inside and outside of a hospital setting.

For example, hospital doctors and nurses can perform CPR, as well as EMTs, Paramedics, and even certified, trained civilians. There are a lot of classes you can take to get CPR certified.

These classes generally require you to take tests and study under an instructor for a small period of time. The skills you learn, however, can be life saving if you are faced with a situation that requires them.

Basically, CPR involves physical intervention to create a sort of artificial circulation through certain parts of the body. Through rhythmic pressure and manual pumping of the blood through the heart, the administerer of CPR can keep the heart going artificially until help arrives.

cpr cardiopulmonary resuscitation cpr

This will keep supplying oxygen to the blood when it would otherwise not be able to get any fresh oxygen, which will, in a sense, keep the person alive.

Despite its name, CPR is rarely responsible for restarting the heart. What it does do is circulate blood where it is needed, mostly to the heart and brain. These are two of the most vital organs in the body, and also the two that stand to be the most damaged due to oxygen deprivation.

Usually, defibrillation is needed to “shock” the heart into a beating rhythm again, but CPR can prolong the window of resuscitation by delaying tissue death and permanent brain damage due to a lack of oxygen. In the event of an emergency, CPR is continued until either the patient is declared dead, or the patient is resuscitated successfully.

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