Performing CPR when a person is not breathing can help prevent brain damage.
Use CPR when an adult is not breathing at all. For a child or infant, use CPR when they are not breathing normally. Always use CPR if the adult or child is not responding when you talk to them or tap them.
If someone is not breathing, giving CPR can ensure that oxygen-rich blood reaches the brain. This is important, as without oxygen, someone can sustain permanent brain damage or die in under 8 minutes.
A person might need CPR if they stop breathing in any of the following circumstances:
- a cardiac arrest or heart attack
- choking
- a road traffic accident
- near-drowning
- suffocation
- poisoning
- a drug or alcohol overdose
- smoke inhalation
- electrocution
- suspected sudden infant death syndrome
Only perform CPR if the adult is not breathing, or in children and infants, when they are not breathing normally, and their blood is not circulating. This is why it is important to ensure that the person does not respond to verbal or physical calls to attention before starting the CPR process.