What is the chest compressions fraction?

The chest compressions fraction is crucial in evaluating the effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) provided during a cardiac arrest situation. It specifically refers to the proportion of time spent delivering chest compressions as compared to the total duration of the resuscitation attempt.

This metric is significant because consistent and uninterrupted chest compressions are vital for maintaining blood flow to the heart and brain when the heart has stopped. A higher compression fraction indicates that more time is being spent on chest compressions rather than on interruptions for ventilations or other interventions, which can lead to better outcomes for the patient.

In contrast to the other options, the rate of breaths taken during CPR, the total time taken to deliver shocks with an AED, and the number of compressions delivered in one minute do not directly measure how much of the resuscitation time is dedicated to providing chest compressions. Therefore, the proportion of time spent on compressions during cardiac arrest provides essential insight into the quality and efficiency of CPR performance.