How Is CPR Performed Differently When an Advanced Airway Is in Place?

An advanced airway is a medical device that creates a secure, open pathway for oxygen to enter the lungs. While not a mandatory component of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), it’s a valuable tool for bypassing the tongue and other soft tissues that may block airflow when it’s needed most. 

So, how does an advanced airway change how CPR is performed? This guide will demonstrate which aspects of CPR are performed differently when an advanced airway device is in place and how a portable oxygen device can fit into the equation. 

Bridging the care gap with CPR Your Life emergency oxygen

When a person experiences cardiac arrest or another respiratory emergency, effective resuscitation is crucial for supplying oxygen to the heart, brain, and other vital organs. The portable oxygen device from CPR Your Life is designed for use during the earliest stages of a medical event while awaiting EMT response. 

Once medical services arrive and place an advanced airway, they will continue resuscitation efforts using adjusted techniques to accommodate the advanced airway. In the meantime, here’s how portable oxygen supports positive outcomes as you wait for trained healthcare providers:

Immediate oxygen support

Since our Emergency Rescue Oxygen Device uses much higher concentrations of O2 than the air around us, using it alongside traditional CPR increases oxygen availability to the lungs during resuscitation efforts. 

Maximize basic life support (BLS) ratios

Official CPR training emphasizes standard compression-to-breath ratios for adults (30:2) and children (15:2). Emergency oxygen uses the same steps, but helps ensure more oxygen reaches the lungs during those one-second rescue breaths. 

Hygienic and accessible design

CPR puts initial responders in very close proximity to the recipient, and it’s common to feel a little uneasy about performing mouth-to-mouth ventilation, especially when bodily fluids are involved, or the other person is a stranger. 

Our single-use Emergency Rescue Oxygen Device features a one-way ventilation valve and a mouth-to-mask design, creating a more secure barrier and reducing potential risks of cross-contamination. 

Additionally, the lightweight, portable design, organized storage, and clearly labeled components help ensure effortless access and ease of use when an emergency occurs. 

EMS hand-off and advanced airway mechanics

The Emergency Rescue Oxygen Device is designed to provide oxygen for up to 20 minutes while you wait for medics to arrive. Here’s what you should know about a seamless transition to professional care. 

Transitioning from basic to advanced care

When performing CPR, the goal is to enhance resuscitation efforts without creating unnecessary pauses in chest compression. Continue performing Basic Lift Support until professionals are ready to take over. 

Medics may place an advanced airway, such as an endotracheal tube or supraglottic airway, upon arrival and continue CPR to maintain consistent resuscitation efforts while team members prepare an automated external defibrillator (AED). 

Shifting from paused to continuous compressions

During standard CPR efforts, responders perform 30 chest compressions, then stop to deliver two one-second rescue breaths. This brief pause can limit the effectiveness of resuscitation. However, an advanced airway enables medics to provide rescue breaths while maintaining a steady rhythm of compressions for optimal CPR quality.

Maintaining uninterrupted perfusion pressure

Continuous chest compressions are the primary difference in how CPR is performed with an advanced airway in place. This adjustment is particularly important for perfusion, or the flow of oxygen-rich blood through the body. 

Each time CPR is stopped to perform ventilation, perfusion pressure drops, inhibiting blood flow to the heart and brain. By eliminating disruptions in chest compressions, first responders can maintain more consistent circulation until spontaneous circulation returns or advanced medical providers determine the next treatment step. 

New rules of breathing (asynchronous ventilation)

Let’s take a closer look at how, exactly, CPR is performed differently when an advanced airway is in place. 

6-Second rule with advanced gear

During advanced airway-assisted CPR, medics deliver rescue breaths every 6 seconds while delivering consistent chest compressions. Each breath is just long enough to cause the chest to rise, about 1 second. 

Medics typically have access to portable oxygen that’s compatible with an advanced airway. 

Avoiding hyperventilation

Effective CPR is all about quality and consistency over quantity. Providing more rescue breaths than needed – or delivering them too forcefully – can have a range of adverse health effects, including:

• Increased chest pressure

• Reduced cardiac output

• Lower coronary and cerebral perfusion

• Increased risk of gastric inflation

With or without an advanced airway, medics are trained to breathe slowly and with control that optimizes resuscitation efforts. 

Coordination in high-stress moments

CPR with continuous chest compressions requires teamwork and great communication to ensure each care provider is on the same page. While one EMT performs resuscitation efforts, another monitors chest rise and airway position. When the person performing CPR needs a break, they confirm that the next provider is ready to step in for a seamless transition. 

Maximize your emergency response protocols with CPR Your Life

At CPR Your Life, we specialize in portable emergency oxygen that can help improve positive outcomes during life-threatening accidents and medical events. Shop our flagship device today!