cardiopulmonary resuscitation

noun

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

noun

1. 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 respirationAbbreviation: CPR

n.

1. Restoration of cardiac output and pulmonary ventilation by artificial respiration and closed-chest massage after cardiac arrest and apnea.

1. See CPR.

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.