Hands-only CPR is meant to keep blood flowing to the brain and vital organs until medical help arrives , especially when a bystander cannot or will not give rescue breaths.

Core purpose in simple terms

  • It maintains circulation of oxygenated blood after the heart stops, buying time and helping prevent brain damage until defibrillation or advanced care is available.
  • It is designed so that ordinary bystanders can act quickly and confidently in a sudden cardiac arrest without needing to give mouth-to-mouth breaths.

If you’re choosing from options

In many quiz or exam questions, the best description is usually closest to:

“To keep blood pumping through the body until emergency medical services or an AED can take over.”

That phrasing captures both the temporary, bridge-like role of hands-only CPR and its focus on continuous chest compressions to preserve life in the critical first minutes of cardiac arrest.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.