During CPR, breaths can be delivered every 6 seconds when what is in place?

• A. There is no advanced airway
• B. There is an advanced airway placed
• C. After defibrillation
• D. Before starting chest compressions

Answer: (B)

With an advanced airway in place, chest compressions can be continuous and you ventilate independently at a steady rate. Give one breath every 6 seconds (about 10 breaths per minute) while compressions continue, so ventilation is asynchronous to the cycles of chest compressions. This setup maintains perfusion while still providing oxygen and removing CO2, without pausing compressions for breaths.

Without an advanced airway, breaths are typically delivered in a pattern that requires brief pauses for ventilation (for example, after set numbers of compressions in a 30:2 sequence). Defibrillation timing doesn’t define a 6-second breathing cadence, and starting breaths before compressions generally isn’t the protocol.