Adult and Child CPR: Introduction
What is CPR, and how did it develop?
CPR and First Aid have been known in theory, if not practice, for hundreds of years. In the 19th century, Doctor H. R. Silvester described a method (The Silvester Method) of artificial respiration in which the patient is laid on his back, and his arms are raised above his head to aid inhalation and then pressed against his chest to aid exhalation. The procedure is repeated 16 times per minute.
However it wasn't until the middle of the 20th century that the wider medical community began to recognize and promote CPR as a key part of resuscitation following cardiac arrest. In the U.S., it was first promoted as a technique for the public to learn in the 1970s. Although early marketing efforts oversold the effectiveness of CPR in rescuing heart attack and other victims, prompt action can stave off the debilitating effects of oxygen starvation caused by heart attacks and respiratory distress.
This section introduces you to current practices in CPR for adults, children, and infants.
