CPR was first introduced back in the 1960s as a way of restoring oxygen and blood to the brain on a temporary basis. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation comes from the words “cardio”, which means heart, and “pulmonary”, which refers to the lungs. This life-saving method keeps the blood flowing and oxygenating through a combination of mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions.
Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation dates back to the 18th century, while chest compressions were first introduced in the 1950s. Defibrillation testing took place at Johns Hopkins University at this time and 3 researchers discovered that a stopped heart could be stimulated using pressure on the chest. They used a number of different parameters to figure out how fast, where and how hard the heart should be compressed in order to get it heart beating again. This testing was done on dogs at the time and then later introduced to human subjects.
In 1960, mouth-to-mouth resuscitation was combined with chest compressions, and in 1962 a training film was developed called “The Pulse of Life”. CPR was officially endorsed by the American Heart Association in 1963 and in 1966 the technique was formalized and published.
Today, the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation sets standardized guidelines for CPR. There are several courses available that can teach you the proper techniques that are recommended today so that you have the potential to save lives tomorrow. This is a tool that every parent, worker and civilian should have since you never know when a life-threatening cardio emergency will take place.
Become CPR certified as soon as possible so that you have the confidence to apply the techniques to others. Learn more about our CPR and first aid courses that will give you the recognized certification for employment requirements and the certainty to help others at any time. Visit our website at heart2heartcpr.com or contact us today to learn more about the courses we offer!
