What does CPR stand for ?
CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
That is,
Cardio
Pulmonary
- which refers to the lungs
whose main function is to receive oxygen from the air (called external respiration) and supply it to the blood (via internal respiration) as blood is pumped through the lungs by the heart which receives back the oxygenated blood to circulate around the whole body
Resuscitation
- which means to revive from death or unconsciousness
CPR is taught on First Aid courses. Knowing when and how to perform CPR can save lives.
The best way to learn how to do CPR is to participate in an approved First Aid course taught by a qualified instructor.
The CPR techniques demonstrated in the following First Aid video have been made available on the internet via YouTube. The video demonstrates how to perform CPR on human adults. Different advice and training videos are available for children, babies and pets (dogs and cats).
CPR Training Video (USA) - December 2020:
First Aid advice changes over time. This video was uploaded to YouTube by Hoag Health on 16 December 2020.
The emergency phone number depends on the location. The video states 911 (for USA). In the UK it's 999.
Videos can be informative but watching demonstrations is not as good as learning CPR in person by taking part in an approved course with instruction from a qualified First Aid teacher. Participating in person also provides the experience of practicing using realistic equipment.
Some people receive first aid training as part of their job (which could be either a full-time or a part-time job) or as part of the training recommended for participation in certain sports or other physical activities.
First Aid training and advice changes over time and over time people can forget what they have learnt, especially things like CPR that (hopefully) they have not needed to use. It is recommended that people with responsibility for the care of others do regular First Aid training to keep their knowledge up-to-date.
This is the end of the page about What does CPR stand for ?
For other First Aid information see DRABC Procedure, the Recovery Position and R.I.C.E. Treatment.
Note: The videos embedded on this page are provided by the respective content creators. They are included for interest and entertainment. They might not reflect current medical opinion. (This page was added in Autumn 2011, lastest review May 2022.)
