Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR)

CPR is a combination of rescue breathing, which provides oxygen to the victim's lungs, and chest compressions, which keep oxygenated blood circulating until an effective heartbeat and breathing can be restored.
Permanent brain damage or death can occur within minutes if blood flow stops.Therefore, it is critical that blood flow and breathing be continued until trained medical help arrives.

The Heart Foundation no longer provides teaching sessions on how to perform CPR. For information on local providers please refer to the links at the bottom of the page.

How do you perform CPR?

Step 1

The first step to performing CPR is to ensure that your scene is safe. Remember, you don't want to become a victim yourself

Step 2

Next, make sure the victim is on a firm, flat surface. If the victim is on his/her side or facedown, you will need to roll them over carefully onto their back

Step 3

Kneel to your victim's side and check for responsiveness (tap/shout to the victim.) If you have no response, yell for help. If someone comes to help you, have that person call 111. If no one comes, leave the victim to call 111. Do as the dispatcher directs you to do, then return to the victim and begin CPR.

Step 4

Open the victim's airway (head-tilt, chin-lift.) LOOK for rising of the chest, LISTEN for breaths, and FEEL for breaths on your cheek for 5-10 seconds.
REMEMBER: Gasping is not breathing.

Step 5

If no normal breathing is noted, begin the cycles of CPR: 2 rescue breaths (watch for the chest to rise) then give 30 compressions (averaging 100 compressions per minute) on the chest. You want to make sure that you allow the chest to come back to its normal position before giving another compression.

Step 6

Continue giving compressions until the victim starts to move or more trained help arrives and takes over.