CPR Depth and Rate: Essential Guidelines for Effective Chest Compressions

Two critical concepts for performing CPR are compression depth and rate.

Compression depth: This is the distance that the chest should be compressed during each chest compression. For adults, the chest should be compressed at least 2 inches (5 centimeters) but not more than 2.4 inches (6 centimeters). For children, the chest should be compressed about one-third the depth of the chest. For infants, the chest should be compressed about one-half the depth of the chest.

Compression rate: This is the number of chest compressions that should be performed each minute. For adults and children, the compression rate should be between 100 and 120 compressions per minute. For infants, the compression rate should be between 100 and 120 compressions per minute.