What does the ABCs of CPR stand for?

• A. Airway, Breathing, Compression
• B. Always Breath Continuously
• C. Airway, Breathing, Circulation
• D. Airway, Bleeding, Compression

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is the order of steps in CPR. The sequence is Airway, Breathing, Circulation: first make sure the airway is open, then provide rescue breaths to oxygenate, and finally restore blood flow with chest compressions to perfuse vital organs. This order matters because without a clear airway, breaths can’t reach the lungs; without breathing, there’s no oxygen entering the blood; and without circulation, that oxygen-rich blood won’t reach the brain and heart. In many guidelines the focus is on Circulation as the goal (perfusing organs) rather than naming the single action, so a choice that specifies Circulation aligns with the standard concept even though chest compressions are the concrete action used. The other options mix in unrelated ideas or replace Circulation with Compression in a way that shifts the emphasis away from the full CPR sequence. So the best fit is Airway, Breathing, Circulation.