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What is the rate of rescue breaths for an adult patient during CPR?

  1. 1 breath every 5 to 6 seconds

  2. 1 breath every 3 to 4 seconds

  3. 1 breath every 8 to 10 seconds

  4. 1 breath every 15 seconds

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

The rate of delivering rescue breaths for an adult patient during CPR is indeed 1 breath every 5 to 6 seconds. This rate allows sufficient time for the lungs to inflate properly with oxygen and helps prevent excessive ventilation, which can lead to complications such as gastric inflation. In an adult, the recommended ratio of compressions to breaths in a CPR scenario is 30 compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths. When providing rescue breaths, it's essential to maintain this timing so that oxygenation can occur efficiently while still prioritizing chest compressions, which are crucial for maintaining blood flow during cardiac arrest. Other options suggest either too frequent or too sparse a rate of breaths that would not adequately support the patient's need for oxygen or could detract from the effectiveness of chest compressions. Ensuring the proper timing of rescue breaths is crucial for maximizing the chances of survival and minimizing potential risks to the patient.