Prepare for the Basic Life Support Test. Study with flashcards and multiple choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Get ready for your exam!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.


How long should interruptions in CPR be kept to in order to demonstrate high-quality CPR?

  1. 5 seconds

  2. 10 seconds

  3. 15 seconds

  4. 20 seconds

The correct answer is: 10 seconds

High-quality CPR emphasizes minimizing interruptions in chest compressions to maximize blood flow to vital organs. Current guidelines recommend that interruptions should be limited to no longer than 10 seconds. Keeping interruptions short allows for more continuous chest compressions, which are crucial for maintaining circulation during cardiac arrest. Extended pauses can significantly reduce the effectiveness of CPR and the likelihood of survival. Therefore, the most accurate answer is that interruptions in CPR should be kept to a maximum of 10 seconds to ensure high-quality CPR is being administered.