Final answer:
Chest compressions during CPR help pump blood to the rest of the body, especially vital organs like the brain, to maintain life until the heart can beat on its own again.
Step-by-step explanation:
Chest compressions are a critical component of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), which is an emergency procedure used when the heart stops beating. During CPR, chest compressions are performed to manually pump blood from the heart into the pulmonary and systemic circuits to maintain vital blood flow, especially to the brain.
The technique involves applying pressure to the sternum between the T4 and T9 vertebrae to squeeze blood out of the heart and into circulation.
This action helps to prevent irreversible brain damage and death of neurons that can occur within minutes of a loss of blood flow. The goal is to continue these compressions until the patient regains spontaneous heart contractions or is declared deceased by a healthcare professional.