CPR stands for cardio pulmonary resuscitation and there are two forms of CPR. There's the basic CPR and there's the advanced CPR. Basic CPR involves cardiac massage and providing artificial breaths to someone whose heart has stopped. I believe that every British citizen should be trained in basic CPR – basic CPR can save lives. Basic CPR can prevent an individual who has survived from being in a permanent vegetative state.
In the event that someone collapses, I believe that most individuals in this country should be in a position to ascertain that there is no pulse and the individual is not breathing and should be able to initiate basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation until the paramedics arrive. The paramedics are all trained in advanced life support and will be in a position to institute drugs and even to defibrillate the heart, if required. But CPR is crucial and goes a long way in saving lives and reducing the risk of brain damage in people that have suffered a cardiac arrest.
