How long should each rescue breath last?

How long should each rescue breath last?

• A. About 0.5 seconds
• B. About 2 seconds
• C. About 3 seconds
• D. About 1 second

Answer: (D)

Breaths should be delivered in about one second each, just long enough to cause the chest to rise. This timing hits the balance between giving enough air to ventilate the lungs (tidal volume) and not over-inflating or wasting time between compressions. If you breathe for too long, you interrupt chest compressions for too long and can push air into the stomach, which isn’t helpful. If you breathe too short, the lungs may not fill adequately, leaving ventilation ineffective. The goal is a smooth, steady breath that produces visible chest rise with each breath while keeping chest compressions moving as continuously as possible.

Breaths should be delivered in about one second each, just long enough to cause the chest to rise. This timing hits the balance between giving enough air to ventilate the lungs (tidal volume) and not over-inflating or wasting time between compressions. If you breathe for too long, you interrupt chest compressions for too long and can push air into the stomach, which isn’t helpful. If you breathe too short, the lungs may not fill adequately, leaving ventilation ineffective. The goal is a smooth, steady breath that produces visible chest rise with each breath while keeping chest compressions moving as continuously as possible.