Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Practice Exam

What is the appropriate ventilation strategy for an adult in respiratory arrest with a pulse rate of 80/min?

1. 1 breath every 3-4 seconds

2. 1 breath every 5-6 seconds

3. 1 breath every 7-8 seconds

4. 1 breath every 10 seconds

The correct answer is: 1 breath every 5-6 seconds

The appropriate ventilation strategy for an adult in respiratory arrest with a pulse rate of 80/min is to provide 1 breath every 5-6 seconds. This rate allows for adequate ventilation while minimizing the risk of hyperventilation, which can decrease cardiac output and intrathoracic pressure, potentially leading to a decrease in blood flow return to the heart. In the context of providing rescue breaths, using this rate results in a total of approximately 10-12 breaths per minute, aligning with guidelines for adult ventilation during respiratory arrest. Adequate breaths help to ensure that oxygen is delivered effectively to the lungs, supporting the patient until the return of spontaneous respiration or advanced airway management can be established. Other strategies, such as providing breaths every 3-4 seconds or at longer intervals like every 7-10 seconds, would either lead to too rapid ventilation or insufficient breaths, respectively, and could compromise patient outcomes due to either inadequate oxygenation or the risk of ventilatory-induced trauma. Keeping the ventilation aligned with physiological needs while monitoring the patient’s condition is key to effective resuscitation response.