CPR Certification Manual: Ventilations for Adults
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Recognizing Cardiac Arrest
- 3. Positioning & Pulse Check
- 4. Compressions for Adults
- 5. Compressions for Infants & Children
- 6. Ventilation Equipment
- 7. Ventilations for Adults
- 8. Ventilations for Infants & Children
- 9. AED Usage
- 10. AED Special Circumstances
- 11. Common Mistakes
- 12. Conclusion
- MyCPR Now™ Glossary
Ventilations for Adults
Rescue breaths provide oxygen to a person who is not breathing normally. During conventional adult CPR, give 2 breaths after every 30 chest compressions.
Opening the Airway
For a person without a suspected traumatic neck injury:
- Place one hand on the forehead
- Place the fingers of the other hand under the bony portion of the chin
- Tilt the head back
- Lift the chin
This is the head-tilt/chin-lift technique.
How Head-Tilt/Chin-Lift Works
Tilting the head back and lifting the chin moves the tongue away from the back of the throat, which is the most common cause of airway obstruction in an unresponsive person.
Giving Rescue Breaths
For mouth-to-mouth breathing:
- Open the airway
- Pinch the person's nose closed
- Create a seal over the person's mouth
- Give 1 breath over approximately 1 second
- Watch for visible chest rise
- Give a second breath
- Immediately resume chest compressions
Give only enough air to make the chest visibly rise. Exhaled air still contains approximately 17% oxygen, which is enough to help sustain the person receiving rescue breaths.
If the Chest Does Not Rise
If the first breath does not make the chest rise:
- Reposition the head
- Reopen the airway
- Improve the seal
- Attempt the second breath
Do not repeatedly interrupt chest compressions trying to deliver breaths. After the second attempt, resume compressions.
Avoid Excessive Ventilation
Do not blow too rapidly, too forcefully, or give excessive amounts of air. Excessive ventilation may reduce CPR effectiveness and may force air into the stomach.
Adult CPR Cycle
Continue:
30 compressions → 2 breaths → 30 compressions → 2 breaths
Use an AED as soon as one becomes available.
Compression-Only CPR
If you are unable or unwilling to provide breaths to an adult in cardiac arrest, provide continuous chest compressions and use an AED as soon as possible.