What is the purpose of capnography during CPR?

What is the purpose of capnography during CPR?

• A. To measure blood sugar
• B. To monitor airway placement and assess CPR quality using CO2
• C. To measure blood pressure
• D. To record brain activity

Answer: (B)

Capnography during CPR provides real-time feedback by measuring end-tidal CO2, which helps confirm the airway is placed correctly and shows how effectively chest compressions are circulating blood and delivering gas to the lungs. When the airway is secure, exhaled CO2 appears on the monitor; if the tube is misplaced, disconnected, or ventilation is poor, the reading drops or disappears. During high-quality CPR, better perfusion means more CO2 is transported to the lungs and exhaled, so end-tidal CO2 rises. A sudden, sustained jump in the reading often signals return of spontaneous circulation. Capnography isn’t used to measure blood sugar, blood pressure, or brain activity, which is why those options aren’t relevant.

Capnography during CPR provides real-time feedback by measuring end-tidal CO2, which helps confirm the airway is placed correctly and shows how effectively chest compressions are circulating blood and delivering gas to the lungs. When the airway is secure, exhaled CO2 appears on the monitor; if the tube is misplaced, disconnected, or ventilation is poor, the reading drops or disappears. During high-quality CPR, better perfusion means more CO2 is transported to the lungs and exhaled, so end-tidal CO2 rises. A sudden, sustained jump in the reading often signals return of spontaneous circulation. Capnography isn’t used to measure blood sugar, blood pressure, or brain activity, which is why those options aren’t relevant.