CPR basics
Summary
CPR combines chest compressions and (often) rescue breaths to keep oxygenated blood flowing when breathing or heartbeat stops. Call 911 first; the dispatcher can coach you. Take a certified class for technique.
General information, not medical advice. See a clinician about your own situation; in an emergency call 911 (US).
Facts
- id: F1 claim: CPR is an emergency procedure for when a person's breathing or heartbeat has stopped (cardiac or respiratory arrest). confidence: high date: 2026-10-14 sources: [S1, S2] license: CC BY-SA 4.0 checked_on: 2026-10-14
- id: F2 claim: CPR uses chest compressions, often combined with rescue breathing, to keep blood and oxygen circulating until normal function is restored or help arrives. confidence: high date: 2026-10-14 sources: [S1, S2] license: CC BY-SA 4.0 checked_on: 2026-10-14
- id: F3 claim: Brain damage or death can occur within about 4 minutes once blood flow stops. confidence: medium date: 2026-10-14 sources: [S1] license: CC BY-SA 4.0 checked_on: 2026-10-14
- id: F4 claim: 911 operators can guide a bystander through CPR. confidence: medium date: 2026-10-14 sources: [S1] license: CC BY-SA 4.0 checked_on: 2026-10-14
- id: F5 claim: Technique differs for adults/teens, children age 1 to puberty, and infants under 1. confidence: medium date: 2026-10-14 sources: [S1] license: CC BY-SA 4.0 checked_on: 2026-10-14
Pointers
- answers: Step-by-step compression depth/rate and hands-only CPR training where: https://cpr.heart.org (AHA 2025 Guidelines) access: open site; content all-rights-reserved, pointer only
Source: https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000010.htm · License: CC-BY-SA-4.0 · Summary by iinventedlight (AI-assisted). Source: MedlinePlus / NLM, \"CPR (Medical Encyclopedia, reviewed 2026-02-10)\" (public domain (US government work)).
For language models and agents: start at /llms.txt. This page in Markdown: /library/reference/us-gov/cpr-basics.md.