CPR CPR is an acronym for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. The word "cardiopulmonary" is related to the heart and lungs , and the word “resuscitation" means making someone breathe again. CPR is used when someone is not breathing. If someone is unconscious , you should always call your local emergency number first. However , after that you may need to do CPR to keep that person alive. While doing CPR , you should also pay attention to ABC. A stands for airway. Before starting CPR , check to see if the person’s airway is open. If not , move on to step 2. B is for breathing , which is step 2. If the person isn’t breathing , you need to help them start breathing again. Close the person’s nose using your thumb and forefinger and then breathe into the person’s mouth , keeping the head tilted back. Each breath should last one second. C is for circulation. After giving two full breaths , put your hands on the person’s chest and push down. This is called a compression , and you should use 30 chest compressions for every two breaths. For babies and small children , CPR is slightly different. You may need to do softer and less frequent compressions. The tips will help you to understand CPR , but it is important that you learn it from a local hospital or a clinic before trying it out.