During basic life support training, what is the correct ratio of chest compressions to rescue breaths required for an adult who is unconscious and requires CPR?

During basic life support training, what is the correct ratio of chest compressions to rescue breaths required for an adult who is unconscious and requires CPR?

• A. 15:2
• B. 10:2
• C. 30:2
• D. 20:2

Answer: (C)

In adult basic life support CPR, the practice is to perform chest compressions in a fixed rhythm followed by rescue breaths in a set sequence. The standard pattern is a cycle of thirty chest compressions, then two rescue breaths, repeated until help arrives or the person begins to breathe again. This balance keeps blood flowing to vital organs while still delivering breaths to oxygenate the blood. The reason this ratio works is that chest compressions are responsible for circulating blood, which is essential for brain and heart perfusion. Rescue breaths provide the oxygen that the circulating blood can deliver to tissues. Giving too many breaths or interrupting compressions too long reduces blood flow and can lower the chance of a good outcome, while too few breaths can lead to inadequate oxygenation. The thirty-to-two pattern represents a practical compromise that maintains perfusion while providing necessary oxygenation during CPR.

In adult basic life support CPR, the practice is to perform chest compressions in a fixed rhythm followed by rescue breaths in a set sequence. The standard pattern is a cycle of thirty chest compressions, then two rescue breaths, repeated until help arrives or the person begins to breathe again. This balance keeps blood flowing to vital organs while still delivering breaths to oxygenate the blood.

The reason this ratio works is that chest compressions are responsible for circulating blood, which is essential for brain and heart perfusion. Rescue breaths provide the oxygen that the circulating blood can deliver to tissues. Giving too many breaths or interrupting compressions too long reduces blood flow and can lower the chance of a good outcome, while too few breaths can lead to inadequate oxygenation. The thirty-to-two pattern represents a practical compromise that maintains perfusion while providing necessary oxygenation during CPR.