The steps of CPR are aimed at restoring which of the following?

• A. Breathing
• B. Pulse
• C. Circulation
• D. Breathing, Pulse, And Circulation

Answer: (D)

CPR is about keeping two life-sustaining functions going after a collapse: breathing and circulation. The chest compressions are meant to pump blood so it keeps flowing to the brain and other organs, while rescue breaths provide oxygen to the lungs. When either of these functions is restored or improved, a pulse may reappear as a sign that circulation is returning. That combination—breathing and circulation (with a pulse as a sign of that circulation restoration)—captures what CPR aims to achieve, which is to maintain oxygen delivery and blood flow until normal heart function can resume or advanced care takes over. Focusing on only one aspect misses part of what CPR is designed to do.