• Stephen Gerber, Amir Pourmand, Natalie Sullivan, Vadym Shapovalov, and Ali Pourmand.
• Department of Emergency Medicine, George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC, United States; District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department, Washington, DC, United States. Electronic address: sgerber@mfa.gwu.edu.
• Am J Emerg Med. 2023 Dec 1; 74: 198.e1198.e5198.e1-198.e5.

AbstractExcessive ventilatory volumes and rates during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can lead to adverse effects, such as elevated intrathoracic pressure and decreased coronary blood flow. The 2020 American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines acknowledge the value of real-time feedback devices in improving CPR performance. In this case series, three out-of-hospital cardiac arrest cases received ventilation feedback during prehospital resuscitation and the initial in-hospital care phase. In each case, a notable increase in ventilation rate and volume was observed following the transfer of care from emergency medical services to hospital staff. This deviation from established ventilation guidelines emphasizes the importance of monitoring and addressing ventilation strategy during the transition to hospital care. Existing evidence supports the importance of maintaining specific ventilation rates and tidal volumes during cardiac arrest to improve outcomes. We believe further research is essential to establish a definitive link between ventilation strategies and patient outcomes, ultimately enhancing resuscitation efforts and patient survival rates. Integrating real-time ventilation feedback devices both in and out of the hospital during cardiac arrest presents an opportunity for quality improvement and adherence to national standards.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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