Synchronizing chest compression and ventilation in cardiac resuscitation

Apparatus for automatic delivery of chest compressions and ventilation to a patient. The apparatus includes a chest compressing device configured to deliver compression phases during which pressure is applied to compress the chest and decompression phases during which approximately zero pressure is applied to the chest a ventilator configured to deliver positive, negative, or approximately zero pressure to the airway; control circuitry and processor, wherein the circuitry and processor are configured to cause the chest compressing device to repeatedly deliver a set containing a plurality of systolic flow cycles, each systolic flow cycle including a systolic decompression phase and a systolic compression phase, and at least one diastolic flow cycle interspersed between sets of systolic flow cycles, each diastolic flow cycle including a diastolic decompression phase and a diastolic compression phase, wherein the diastolic decompression phase is substantially longer than the systolic decompression phase.