cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Definition of cardiopulmonary resuscitation

cardiopulmonary resuscitation

(KAR-dee-oh-PUL-muh-NAYR-ee ree-SUH-sih-TAY-shun)
An emergency procedure used to restart a person’s heartbeat and breathing after one or both have stopped. It involves giving strong, rapid pushes to the chest to keep blood moving through the body. Usually, it also involves blowing air into the person’s mouth to help with breathing and send oxygen to the lungs. Also called CPR.

Source: NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms