• Peter Fenici, A H Idris, K G Lurie, Stefano Ursella, and Andrea Gabrielli.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, Catholic University Hospital of Rome, Italy.
• Curr Opin Crit Care. 2005 Jun 1; 11 (3): 204-11.

Purpose Of ReviewDespite a more widespread knowledge of basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation maneuvers in the community, the survival rate for patients with cardiac arrest has remained essentially unchanged in the past 30 years. Over the past few decades, many different compression-ventilation ratios have been studied in terms of best coronary and cerebral oxygen delivery, restoration of spontaneous circulation, and neurologic outcome. This article summarizes the recent evidence presented at the International Consensus on Resuscitation Science in January 2005.Recent FindingsRecent data from animal and mathematical models suggest a move to a higher compression-ventilation ratio to maximize coronary and cerebral oxygen delivery during cardiac arrest and long-term neurologic outcome. Prospective randomized human data on alternative compression-ventilation ratios are missing and new evidence seems to indicate the inadequacy of both lay and professional rescuers in providing chest compression and ventilating the victim in cardiac arrest. Finally, observational and animal studies highlight the hidden danger of inadvertent hyperventilation during advanced cardiac life support as a reduction of both coronary and perfusion pressure secondary to increased intrathoracic pressure and decreased venous return.SummaryThe optimal compression-ventilation ratio is still unknown and the best tradeoff between oxygenation and organ perfusion during cardiopulmonary resuscitation is probably different for each patient and scenario. A discrepancy between what is recommended by the current guidelines and the 'real world' of cardiopulmonary resuscitation has resulted in a near flat survival rate from cardiac arrest in the past few years.

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