Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) involves mimicking two important organs, both of which are required to sustain life. The answer lies in the very term cardiopulmonary. Cardio is derived from the Greek kardia meaning heart or hollow vessel, and pulmonary from the Latin pulmonarius (of the lungs).

Thus CPR quite literally means resuscitation through circulation and breathing. Not just compressions, but ventilations as well. I’m sure you already know how important “pumping and blowing” is— it would be hard not to with all the time and effort spent on training during the last 40 years or so. But the solution to resuscitation is not quite that simple.