The new CPR guidelines emphasise chest compression depth and have increased the compression:ventilation ratio to cause less time intervals without chest compressions. How this change may influence the quality of chest compressions is not documented. Sixty-eight volunteers among travellers at Oslo international airport and a senior citizen centre performed 5 min of CPR on a manikin with compression:ventilation ratios 15:2, 30:2 or continuous chest compressions. Median age was 37.5 years (range 15-87), 59% were men, and 71% reported CPR training median 8 years (3-15) previously. Three of 22, 4 of 23 and 3 of 23 subjects in the 15:2, 30:2 and continuous compressions groups respectively stopped before 5 min had passed. Mean compression depth was 41 +/- 11, 45 +/- 8 and 30 +/- 8 mm, respectively. Depth was reduced as a function of time in the continuous compression group. Number of compressions per minute was 40 +/- 9, 43 +/- 14 and 73 +/- 24 and percent no flow time 49 +/- 13%, 38 +/- 20% and 1 +/- 2%, respectively. In conclusion, continuous chest compressions without ventilations gave significantly more chest compressions per minute, but with decreased compression quality. No flow time for 30:2 was significantly less than for 15:2.