Ace the Basic Life Support (BLS) Challenge 2026 – Breathe Life into Your Skills!

The recommended depth for performing chest compressions on an adult is 2 inches. This depth is essential for effectively generating adequate blood flow and ensuring that chest compressions are both effective and capable of promoting circulation to vital organs during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Compression depth is critical because if compressions are too shallow, it may not adequately compress the heart to circulate blood effectively, which can significantly decrease the chances of survival following a cardiac arrest. The guideline of 2 inches is based on evidence that this depth allows for the best chance of achieving enough blood pressure in the coronary and cerebral arteries to sustain life until advanced medical help can arrive.

Moreover, using a depth greater than 2 inches can potentially cause injury to the patient's ribs or other thoracic structures, which is why the emphasis is placed specifically on achieving the correct depth rather than exceeding it.