After a patient in cardiac arrest has been successfully intubated, you should:

After a patient in cardiac arrest has been successfully intubated, you should:

• A. perform asynchronous CPR
• B. pause to ventilate exclusively
• C. resume only with defibrillation attempts
• D. wait for spontaneous circulation before continuing

Answer: (A)

After placing the airway, keep delivering high-quality chest compressions continuously and provide ventilations through the tube at a steady rate without pausing compressions. This approach, known as asynchronous CPR, maintains coronary and cerebral perfusion while breaths are delivered separately (roughly one breath every six seconds in adults). Pausing to ventilate exclusively would cut off perfusion and reduce outcomes, and you continue CPR while defibrillation and other interventions are performed as indicated. Don’t wait for spontaneous circulation; keep compressions going and ventilate consistently.

After placing the airway, keep delivering high-quality chest compressions continuously and provide ventilations through the tube at a steady rate without pausing compressions. This approach, known as asynchronous CPR, maintains coronary and cerebral perfusion while breaths are delivered separately (roughly one breath every six seconds in adults). Pausing to ventilate exclusively would cut off perfusion and reduce outcomes, and you continue CPR while defibrillation and other interventions are performed as indicated. Don’t wait for spontaneous circulation; keep compressions going and ventilate consistently.