cardiopulmonary resuscitation

American  

noun

1. emergency procedure for reviving heart and lung function, involving special physical techniques and often the use of electrical and mechanical equipment. CPR

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cardiopulmonary resuscitation British  

noun

1.  CPR.  an emergency measure to revive a patient whose heart has stopped beating, in which compressions applied with the hands to the patient's chest are alternated with mouth-to-mouth respiration

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cardiopulmonary resuscitation Scientific  

1. See CPR

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cardiopulmonary resuscitation Cultural  

1. An emergency lifesaving procedure used to revive someone who has stopped breathing or whose heart has ceased functioning. CPR uses heart massage and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to get the heart or lungs working again. More recently, electric stimulation to the heart (using devices called defibrillators) has greatly increased the efficacy of this technique.

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Etymology

Origin of cardiopulmonary resuscitation

First recorded in 1970–75

Example Sentences

Also called an advance directive, a living will sets forth your wishes regarding life-sustaining treatments, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation or tube feeding, if you are unable to make decisions on your own.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

After Thomason’s friends freed him, they immediately started cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 6, 2026

He performed CPR - or cardiopulmonary resuscitation - for about 10 minutes, with his mobile propped on Nick's chest, speaking to the 999 operator as he waited for ambulance crews to arrive.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2025

The hospital didn’t do that, but the idea got the doctors thinking about better ways to do CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the conventional method for chest compressions after cardiac arrest.

From New York Times • Jun. 15, 2023

As she commenced cardiopulmonary resuscitation, she yelled for Dr. Larry Silver, one of the volunteers staffing the HRA clinic, who was in the next room.

From "Into Thin Air" by Jon Krakauer