How long should two rescue breaths last for an adult?

• A. 1 second
• B. 2 seconds
• C. 3 seconds
• D. 4 seconds

Answer: (B)

Delivering rescue breaths at the right pace is crucial in adult CPR. Each breath should be delivered in about one second to ensure the lungs fill adequately without overinflating the stomach. When you give two breaths, the total time is roughly two seconds. If breaths take longer than one second, air can go into the stomach, risking gastric inflation and slowing the overall CPR cycle; if breaths are too short, the lungs may not fill properly and the exchange won’t be effective. So the best approach is two breaths lasting about two seconds in total, with each breath about one second and the chest visibly rising.