Mechanical ventilation is regarded as an effective means of replacing artificial ventilation during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and has been widely used in the treatment of cardiac arrest (CA) patients. However, there are still some controversial issues remaining to be settled, such as the assessment of the effectiveness of mechanical ventilation, the selection of the optimal oxygen concentration (FiO2), tidal volume (VT), respiratory frequency, and mode of ventilation during the CPR process. The pros and cons of positive pressure ventilation are also inconclusive. We reviewed and summarized the related research in recent years, and recommended that the intermittent positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) of volume controlled with small VT (6-7 mL/kg), low ventilation rates (10 times/min), and pure oxygen could be applied during the mechanical ventilation of CPR. The best mechanical ventilation strategy still needs further experimental researches to discover and explore.