What is the purpose of CPR?

The purpose of CPR, or cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is to restore breathing and circulation in a person who has experienced cardiac arrest or has stopped breathing. This lifesaving technique is crucial because it helps maintain blood flow to vital organs, especially the brain, until emergency medical services can take over and provide advanced care. By performing CPR, individuals can significantly increase the chances of survival for someone who is in a critical state of health.

Other options, while they may relate to different aspects of emergency care, do not encompass the primary goal of CPR. Checking for a pulse is part of the assessment process but is not the action performed in CPR itself. Cooling down a victim is not a focused objective in CPR, and providing medication falls outside the scope of CPR, which is a mechanical procedure meant to help maintain respiration and circulation rather than administer treatments.