Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is quite a mouthful! But it’s one of the most important and easy-to-use lifesaving skills around. Though medical scientists only developed and verified the method in the past century, CPR is a cornerstone medical intervention. Here’s why CPR is an effective technique.

Physical Pressure

CPR is the go-to procedure for unresponsive victims of everything from drowning to cardiac arrest. When people use CPR for heart issues, the process relies on the rhythmic mimicry you create. The heart needs a forceful reminder to start beating again, and the physical pressure you exert while administering chest compressions is this prompt. The pressure you put on the rib cage and heart is the key to revival.

Air Movement

The lungs operate similarly to the heart at a mechanical level—they both rely on a repetitive movement to aggregate and release air or blood in the body. If someone’s lungs become waterlogged, the organ cannot expel the liquid on its own. That’s why rescue breaths are so essential to CPR; they displace the unwanted water out of the mouth so air can flow once again. It may seem counterintuitive that your exhaled carbon dioxide will help someone breathe in oxygen, but the key is the air pressure. The force you create in the mouth-to-mouth vacuum moves water from the lungs and toward the mouth. This opening, in turn, leaves space for the person to activate their diaphragm, inhale, and cough out the liquid.

CPR in Daily Life

Medical professionals utilize CPR as one of the first lines of defense in treatment. If CPR can address problems with the heart or lungs, nurses will administer this care before other forms of care. However, CPR is famous for its teachability and widespread dissemination. Many people in the general population know how to give cardiopulmonary resuscitation to a person in trouble. If you took a CPR class many years ago, don’t overestimate your abilities and be sure to avoid the common CPR mistakes so you don’t inadvertently harm someone you’re trying to save. Take a refresher course so you know what to do if your child or friend becomes unresponsive.

Understanding why CPR is an effective technique enables nurses and non-medical professionals alike to perform more intuitive and accurate cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The reasoning behind the method is sound and has decades of proof behind it. Consider learning CPR so you can save a life the next time someone is in danger.