In adult basic life support, what is the recommended compression-to-breathing ratio for a single rescuer?

In adult basic life support, what is the recommended compression-to-breathing ratio for a single rescuer?

• A. 15 compressions to 2 breaths
• B. 30 compressions to 2 breaths
• C. 5 compressions to 1 breath
• D. 2 compressions to 30 breaths

Answer: (B)

In adult life support, the priority is to keep blood flowing to the heart and brain while also providing oxygen. For a single rescuer, the workflow is a cycle where chest compressions are given first to maintain perfusion, followed by a brief period of rescue breaths. This balance keeps circulation strong without pausing too long for breaths, which would reduce blood flow. The standard pattern used is a fixed sequence: many chest compressions in a row, then two breaths, and you repeat that cycle. This ratio is chosen because it maximizes coronary and cerebral perfusion during CPR while still delivering essential oxygen. The compressions should be performed at a rate of about 100–120 per minute, and breaths should be delivered so you see the chest rise. If two rescuers are present, the cycle shifts to fewer compressions before breaths, but with a single rescuer, the thirty-to-two pattern best maintains perfusion while providing oxygenation. If you see other options, they either interrupt compressions too often, provide too few compressions, or deliver breaths too frequently for a single rescuer, which reduces the effectiveness of CPR.

In adult life support, the priority is to keep blood flowing to the heart and brain while also providing oxygen. For a single rescuer, the workflow is a cycle where chest compressions are given first to maintain perfusion, followed by a brief period of rescue breaths. This balance keeps circulation strong without pausing too long for breaths, which would reduce blood flow.

The standard pattern used is a fixed sequence: many chest compressions in a row, then two breaths, and you repeat that cycle. This ratio is chosen because it maximizes coronary and cerebral perfusion during CPR while still delivering essential oxygen. The compressions should be performed at a rate of about 100–120 per minute, and breaths should be delivered so you see the chest rise. If two rescuers are present, the cycle shifts to fewer compressions before breaths, but with a single rescuer, the thirty-to-two pattern best maintains perfusion while providing oxygenation.

If you see other options, they either interrupt compressions too often, provide too few compressions, or deliver breaths too frequently for a single rescuer, which reduces the effectiveness of CPR.