UMEM Educational Pearls

Title: Improving CPR Performance

Posted: 10/17/2017 by Mike Winters, MBA, MD (Updated: 5/24/2025)
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Improving CPR Performance

High-quality CPR is the cornerstone of successfull resuscitation from cardiac arrest.
In fact, high-quality CPR is considered the most important intervention for achieving ROSC and good neurologic recovery.
Pearls for optimizing CPR performance include:
- Use a team-focused approach
- Avoid leaning and ensure complete recoil of the chest
- Target a chest compression fraction of at least 60%
- Use POCUS, but pay attention to the duration of hands-off time
- Target ETCO2 of > 20 mm Hg

Nassar BS, et al. Improving CPR performance. Chest. 2017. {epub ahead of print]

Jentzer JC, et al. Improving survival from cardiac arrest: A review of contemporary practice and challenges. Ann Emerg Med. 2016; 68:678-89.