During high-quality CPR, when do pauses in compressions typically occur?

During high-quality CPR, pauses in compressions are essential for specific interventions that can significantly enhance the rescue process. One of the primary moments when pauses occur is during defibrillation.

When a patient is experiencing a shockable rhythm, such as ventricular fibrillation or pulseless ventricular tachycardia, it becomes necessary to pause chest compressions to safely deliver an electrical shock. The chest must not be compressed at the moment the shock is delivered, as continuous compressions can affect the delivery of the shock and reduce its effectiveness. After administering the shock, CPR can resume immediately, reinforcing the importance of minimizing the duration of pauses to maintain circulation as effectively as possible.

This contextual understanding emphasizes the critical role of timely interventions like defibrillation while also highlighting the objective of high-quality CPR, which is to maintain perfusion and manage life-threatening heart rhythms.