What is the function of rescue breaths in CPR?

Rescue breaths in CPR serve the vital function of providing oxygen to the lungs, thereby facilitating the restoration of normal breathing. During cardiac arrest, the heart stops pumping effectively, leading to a deficiency of oxygen in the body. When administering rescue breaths, you are introducing air directly into the lungs of the unresponsive individual, which is essential in ensuring that vital organs, including the brain, continue to receive oxygen-rich blood until more advanced medical help can arrive or until the individual begins to breathe on their own.

This process is a critical component of CPR, especially in cases where the victim has not been breathing for an extended period. While restoring blood circulation is a significant goal of CPR, the immediate need during the initial steps involves ensuring that oxygenation occurs, particularly in cases of respiratory failure or when the heart may still have some functioning ability but is unable to circulate blood effectively. Thus, providing oxygen through rescue breaths directly addresses the crucial need for oxygenation during cardiopulmonary arrest scenarios.