What defines chest compression fraction (CCF)?

Chest compression fraction (CCF) is defined as the actual amount of time spent performing chest compressions during a resuscitation attempt, divided by the total duration of the code or resuscitation time. This measurement is crucial because higher CCFs are associated with improved outcomes in cardiac arrest scenarios.

The rationale behind this is that each moment that chest compressions are not being performed, such as during interruptions for ventilation, rhythm checks, or other procedures, reduces the effectiveness of the resuscitation effort in maintaining coronary and cerebral perfusion. Therefore, the focus is to maximize the percentage of time during which effective chest compressions are delivered, as this is critical for increasing the chances of survival and good neurological outcomes.

In contrast, options like chest compression time divided by total resuscitation time do not accurately reflect the key factor that CCF emphasizes—the actual compressions performed versus the total duration of the code. Other options relating to average pulse pressure or duration of effective ventilation do not pertain to the definition of CCF, as they focus on different aspects of resuscitation.