[Historical review from beginning of CPR to CPCR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation to cardiopulmonary-cerebral resuscitation)].

This 2010 is a memorial year for CPR, as in 1960 closed chest cardiac massage was first introduced in clinical setting. Jude, Kouwenhoven are the pioneer of this method. However, Prof. Peter Safar was also distinguished pioneer of articial respiration and airway management. Manual chest compression is not efficient to maintain oxygenation and impossible to airway patent. Applying both respiration by mouth-to-mouth breathing and closed chest cardiac massage, it started the new era of CPR. CPR has been expanded to every countries, however, it has not been successful to obtain a good survival rate in out -of-hospital cardiac arrest. BLS is the most important to increase the survival rate. It is the problem how to recover brain function after cardiac arrest then followed with recovery of spontaneous circulation. Brain oriented resuscitation is the target for CPR. Chain of survival is still very useful to treat cardiac arrest. Post cardiac arrest syndrome should be well recognized and hypothermia therapy is introduced as one of the best treatment.