What Does CAB Stand For in CPR?
CAB in CPR stands for Compressions, Airway, and Breathing, and the order of those three letters is not a coincidence. It is the sequence the American Heart Association (AHA) directs rescuers to follow during cardiac arrest, and it has been the current standard since 2010. Starting with compressions instead of the airway keeps blood moving to the brain immediately, buying the critical minutes that matter most before emergency help arrives.
C Is for Compressions
The C stands for chest compressions, not circulation. That distinction matters because in the older ABC method, the C at the end stood for circulation. In CAB, compressions come first, and for good reason.
For an adult, push straight down on the lower half of the breastbone at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute and a depth of at least 2 inches (but no more than 2.4 inches). Allow the chest to fully recoil between each push, and keep any interruptions under 10 seconds. Those pauses cost blood flow, and blood flow is exactly what the brain and heart need in those first minutes.
A useful rhythm cue: the Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” is almost perfectly calibrated to 100 beats per minute. Hum it silently and let it pace your compressions.
A Is for Airway
After the first 30 compressions, open the airway. For most people, use the head tilt-chin lift: place one hand on the forehead, gently tilt the head back, and lift the chin with two fingers. This moves the tongue away from the back of the throat so air can reach the lungs.
If you suspect a neck or spine injury, use a jaw thrust instead. Slide your fingers behind the angles of the jaw and lift it forward without moving the neck. This technique takes a little practice, which is one reason hands-on training reinforces reading alone.
B Is for Breathing
The B stands for breathing, delivered as rescue breaths. After 30 compressions and opening the airway, give 2 rescue breaths, each lasting about one second, just enough to make the chest visibly rise. Then return immediately to compressions. Trained rescuers repeat this 30:2 cycle until an AED arrives, EMS takes over, or the person shows signs of normal breathing.
If you are untrained or uncomfortable giving rescue breaths, compression-only CPR is still significantly better than doing nothing. The AHA supports hands-only CPR for adults who collapse suddenly, because blood already contains oxygen in those first few minutes, it just needs a pump.
Why CPR Changed from ABC to CAB
For over 40 years, CPR training has focused on the airway. Rescuers were taught to open the airway and deliver breaths before placing their hands on the chest. Research showed that the sequence created an average 30-second delay before the first chest compression, and in cardiac arrest, those 30 seconds matter enormously.
In 2010, the AHA published its updated Guidelines for CPR and Emergency Cardiovascular Care, changing the basic life support sequence from ABC to CAB. The reasoning was clear: in the first few minutes after a sudden cardiac arrest, blood already holds oxygen. What the body lacks is circulation. Starting with 30 compressions, which takes roughly 18 seconds, moves that oxygen to the brain and heart immediately, delaying breaths by only a brief, manageable window.
According to peer-reviewed research published in PMC, for every minute without CPR and defibrillation, survival odds from witnessed cardiac arrest drop by 7 to 10 percent. Every guideline update since 2010 in 2015, 2020, and the landmark 2025 guidelines has kept the CAB order in place.
ABC vs. CAB at a Glance
Both sequences cover the same three tasks. The difference is the order and the meaning of the C.
So which is correct? CAB is the current standard for sudden cardiac arrest. The ABC approach still has a role in specific situations, more on those below.
The Three Cs of CPR and How They Fit with CAB
You may have come across the phrase “the three Cs of CPR” and wondered how it differs from CAB. The three Cs are a separate memory aid for what to do when you first arrive at any emergency:
Check the scene and the person for safety and responsiveness.
Call 911 and send someone to find an AED.
Care for the person by starting CPR.
In that final step Care the CAB sequence tells you how to perform the resuscitation itself. Think of the three Cs as your arrival checklist and CAB as your hands-on action plan.
How to Perform CAB: Step-by-Step
Here is the full sequence for an adult, as taught in nationally accredited CPR courses. Call 911 and send for an AED before beginning.
Check the scene and the person
Make sure the area is safe. Tap the person’s shoulders and shout, “Are you okay?” If there is no response and no normal breathing, treat it as cardiac arrest.
Call for help
Phone 911, put it on speaker, and ask someone nearby to locate an AED. A dispatcher can guide you through every step until EMS arrives.
Start compressions (C)
Place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest, on the lower half of the breastbone. Stack your other hand on top. Push straight down at least 2 inches at 100 to 120 per minute. Let the chest fully recoil each time and keep pauses under 10 seconds.
Open the airway (A)
After 30 compressions, tilt the head back and lift the chin. Use a jaw thrust if a neck injury is suspected.
Give rescue breaths (B)
Deliver 2 breaths, each about one second, watching for the chest to rise. If you are not trained or unwilling to give breaths, skip them and continue compressions.
Continue the 30:2 cycle
Repeat 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths. If two rescuers are present, switch the person doing compressions every 2 minutes to maintain quality.
Use the AED as soon as it arrives
Turn it on, expose the chest, attach the pads as shown in the diagrams, and follow the voice prompts. Resume compressions immediately after any shock.
CAB and the 2025 Chain of Survival
CAB is one link in a larger, coordinated sequence known as the Chain of Survival. The 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR and ECC introduced a landmark change: a single, unified Chain of Survival that applies to all cardiac arrests, adult, pediatric, and neonatal, whether they occur in or out of the hospital. The key links are:
Early recognition and activation of emergency response (call 911, send for an AED)
Early high-quality CPR using the CAB sequence
Rapid defibrillation with an AED
Advanced emergency medical care
Post-cardiac arrest recovery and support
No single link works alone. According to the AHA 2025 guidelines summary, only about 41 percent of adults experiencing cardiac arrest outside the hospital currently receive CPR before EMS arrives. Starting compressions quickly buys time, but survival improves most when an AED arrives early for rhythms that respond to a shock. That is why calling for help and sending someone for an AED comes first, even before compressions begin.
The 2025 update also confirmed that children 12 years and older can be taught effective CPR and defibrillation, a meaningful step toward building communities where more people know how to act.
When CAB Is Used and When the Airway Comes First
CAB is the right starting point for most sudden cardiac arrests, when the heart stops without warning in an otherwise breathing person. But the original airway-first approach still has a place for emergencies that begin as a breathing problem.
Use CAB for most sudden, unexpected cardiac arrests. Choose an airway-first approach, prioritizing rescue breaths early in these situations:
Drowning
Choking that has progressed to unresponsiveness
Drug or opioid overdose
Suffocation or respiratory arrest from any other cause
In these cases, the arrest stems from a lack of oxygen rather than a primary heart problem, so getting air in early is critical. Newborns are a separate category entirely: newborn resuscitation follows its own airway-and-breathing-focused protocol and is not covered by the standard CAB sequence.
The practical rule: if a person suddenly collapses, start with compressions and follow CAB. If they stopped breathing first and the heart followed, as in drowning or overdose, breaths deserve early attention. When the cause is unclear, compressions are never the wrong place to start. A 911 dispatcher can help you assess the situation in real time.
CAB for Children and Infants
The CAB order applies across all age groups, with technique adjustments for smaller bodies.
Children
Use the heel of one or two hands and compress at least 2 inches (about one third of the chest depth) at 100 to 120 compressions per minute.
Infants
Use the heel of one hand if you are the only rescuer, or the two-thumb encircling technique if a second rescuer is present. Compress about 1.5 inches (roughly one third of the chest depth). Note: the two-finger technique is no longer recommended as of the 2025 AHA guidelines.
Single-rescuer compression-to-breath ratio: 30:2 for all ages. Two trained rescuers working on a child or infant: 15 compressions to 2 breaths.
Because many childhood cardiac emergencies begin with a breathing problem rather than a primary heart issue, rescue breaths carry extra weight in pediatric CPR. Parents, teachers, coaches, and caregivers benefit greatly from a course that covers all three age groups.
Hands-Only CPR and When Rescue Breaths Still Matter
Hands-only CPR means chest compressions without rescue breaths. For an adult who collapses suddenly in front of you, hands-only CPR is the recommended approach when you are untrained or not confident giving breaths. Removing that barrier means fewer people hesitate and immediate compressions are far better than no action while waiting for help.
That said, rescue breaths remain important in specific situations. Trained rescuers should give the full 30:2 cycle. Breaths are especially critical for children, infants, and arrests caused by oxygen deprivation, such as drowning or opioid overdose. The trained-rescuer ratio has not changed: 30 compressions to 2 breaths for a single rescuer.
Clothing, Bras, and AED Pad Placement
Remove or move any clothing covering the chest before placing your hands. For AED use, bare skin is essential. A bra, especially one with underwire, should be removed before attaching AED pads, since the wire can interfere with pad adhesion and shock delivery. Speed matters, but so does proper pad placement.
Get Certified and Ready to Act
Reading about CAB builds awareness. Practicing it builds the muscle memory and confidence to actually use it when it counts.
SimpleCPR offers nationally accredited online CPR and BLS certification courses that follow the latest AHA ECC guidelines, covering adult, child, and infant CPR in a single course you can complete in under an hour, from anywhere, at any time. Unlimited exam retakes are included at no extra cost, and your certification card is available to print the moment you pass.
Ready to certify or renew? Start with the Adult-Child-Infant CPR/AED course, or if you work in healthcare, the Healthcare Provider BLS course covers the full professional scope. Need to renew? The CPR Recertification course refreshes the CAB sequence quickly so your skills stay sharp.
Certification is accepted across all 50 states and Canadian provinces. Get started at SimpleCPR.com.
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