Final answer:
During cardiac arrest management, the recommended ventilation rate is 10 breaths per minute to prevent hyperventilation and ensure efficient chest compressions without causing excessive intrathoracic pressure.
Step-by-step explanation:
In managing a cardiac arrest patient, it's crucial to ensure proper ventilation to support oxygenation and perfusion. During cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), while the main focus is on chest compressions, ventilation must not be neglected. Current guidelines suggest a frequency of 10 breaths per minute, which ensures adequate alveolar ventilation without causing excessive intrathoracic pressure that could impede chest compressions' efficiency.
It's important to match the ventilations to avoid hyperventilation, which can lead to a buildup of intrathoracic pressure and reduction in venous return to the heart, thereby decreasing the overall effectiveness of chest compressions. Each breath should be delivered over approximately one second, and with enough volume to cause visible chest rise, yet avoiding excessive volumes that could cause gastric insufflation or lung injury.
In a non-arrest situation, an adult's normal respiratory rate ranges from 12-15 breaths per minute. In the context of CPR, however, where artificial ventilation is necessary, the recommended rate is adjusted to avoid the negative effects that could occur with either too rapid or too slow ventilation frequencies.