During advanced airway management, what should be done about CPR?

• A. No pause in CPR for ventilations
• B. Pause ventilations during advanced airway
• C. Pause for ventilations every 4 seconds
• D. Stop compressions during ventilations

Answer: (A)

When an advanced airway is in place, the priority is continuous chest compressions to maintain perfusion. Ventilations are delivered through the airway without pausing compressions, so CPR flow isn’t interrupted. This keeps coronary and cerebral perfusion pressures higher, which improves chances of return of spontaneous circulation and better outcomes. In practice, keep compressions at about 100–120 per minute and provide ventilations asynchronously at roughly one breath every 6 seconds (about 10 breaths per minute). Pausing for ventilations or stopping compressions during ventilations would disrupt perfusion and is not the recommended approach.