If an advanced airway is in place, how often should ventilations be delivered?

When an advanced airway is in place, delivering ventilations every 6 seconds is the standard practice for ensuring adequate oxygenation and ventilation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This interval allows for effective use of the airway while minimizing the risk of hyperventilation, which can be harmful to the patient.

Delivering breaths at this rate ensures that the chest can fully expand and recoil between breaths, optimizing the effectiveness of ventilation without causing high intrathoracic pressure that could impede blood flow. Maintaining this cadence contributes to better outcomes by ensuring that oxygen is properly delivered to the lungs and, subsequently, the bloodstream, which is critical in a cardiac arrest scenario.

In contrast, shorter intervals, such as every 2 or 4 seconds, may lead to inadequate chest recoil, increased intrathoracic pressure, and potentially diminish the effectiveness of both CPR and the advanced airway. Hence, every 6 seconds strikes an effective balance for providing necessary ventilations while monitoring the overall quality of care.