ACLS: ventilation with an advanced airway: practice question

A Anaesthesia question in the style of the NEET PG paper. Answer it first, then read why the right option is right and why each of the others is wrong.

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Anaesthesia · ACLS: ventilation with an advanced airway

Sample item

During CPR with a tracheal tube in place in an adult, what ventilation rate is recommended?

AOne breath every 6 seconds with continuous compressionsB30 breaths per minuteCTwo breaths after every 30 compressions with pausesDOne breath every 30 seconds

Original practice item, not a recalled exam question. Nothing here is recorded.

The answer and the reasoning

A. One breath every 6 seconds with continuous compressions

Once an advanced airway is placed, compressions are continuous at 100 to 120 per minute, and breaths are given at about 10 per minute without pauses. Hyperventilation raises intrathoracic pressure and reduces coronary perfusion. Paediatric rates are higher.

Option by option

A. One breath every 6 seconds with continuous compressions (correct)
Correct. About 10 breaths per minute are given asynchronously.
B. 30 breaths per minute
Hyperventilation is harmful.
C. Two breaths after every 30 compressions with pauses
Pausing for 30:2 is not needed with an advanced airway.
D. One breath every 30 seconds
One breath every 30 seconds is too slow.

Source note: Original NextPrep sample item — pending expert review. This item is original practice material awaiting independent expert review, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.

Questions about this Anaesthesia question

What is the answer to this Anaesthesia question?

The best answer is A, One breath every 6 seconds with continuous compressions. Once an advanced airway is placed, compressions are continuous at 100 to 120 per minute, and breaths are given at about 10 per minute without pauses.

Why is "30 breaths per minute" not the answer?

Hyperventilation is harmful.

Why is "Two breaths after every 30 compressions with pauses" not the answer?

Pausing for 30:2 is not needed with an advanced airway.

Why is "One breath every 30 seconds" not the answer?

One breath every 30 seconds is too slow.

What concept does this question test?

It tests ACLS: ventilation with an advanced airway in Anaesthesia. Hyperventilation raises intrathoracic pressure and reduces coronary perfusion. Paediatric rates are higher.

How hard is this question?

We tag it as an application question: it asks you to use a fact on a patient or a finding. The tag is our own editorial judgement, not an official difficulty rating, so read the reason for every option, not only the answer.

How should I study ACLS: ventilation with an advanced airway?

Make a table of each agent, its key advantage and its main side effect. Then use the flashcards and the other Anaesthesia questions on this site to test what stuck.

Is this a real NEET PG question?

No. It is an original practice item (editorial status: sample, version 1). NextPrep does not publish recalled or leaked questions, and independent faculty review of this item has not been completed yet, so confirm important facts in a standard textbook.