During CPR, what temporarily takes over the functions of the heart and lungs?

During CPR, chest compressions and ventilations are critical components that temporarily take over the functions of the heart and lungs. When a person is in cardiac arrest, their heart is not effectively pumping blood, and they are not breathing or not breathing adequately.

Chest compressions create artificial circulation by manually compressing the heart, allowing blood to flow to vital organs, including the brain. This is essential because it helps maintain some degree of blood flow to preserve organ function until advanced medical help arrives.

Ventilations provide oxygen to the lungs, ensuring that the blood being circulated has the necessary oxygen to sustain life. This two-pronged approach addresses both the heart's need to pump blood and the lungs' need to oxygenate that blood, bridging the gap until more comprehensive care can be administered.

Other options, while related to resuscitation, do not directly perform the essential function of temporarily replacing heart and lung actions during CPR.