Diabetes (DM) is a pervasive disease associated with increased risk of cardiac arrest (CA) and worse survival. Diabetics display abrogation of post arrest therapies. Ischemic post-conditioning (IPoC) has been shown to improve outcomes in young healthy swine, but never in a DM model. We hypothesized that IPoC would be beneficial for survival of non-DM rats after asphyxial CA and that this benefit would be abrogated in DM. Male Wistar rats were utilized, 12 of 23 underwent induction of DM with injection of streptozotocin (30mg/kg) IP and feeding of western diet for 12 weeks. Rats were intubated, mechanically ventilated, and anesthetized with isoflurane. A non-invasive flow probe was placed on a carotid artery. An internal jugular vein and femoral artery and vein were cannulated. Electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, and arterial blood gas were analyzed. Asphyxial CA, induced by rocuronium and cessation of ventilation, proceeded for 7 min. CPR was initiated utilizing an automated chest compressor at a rate of 200/min. Animals were randomly assigned to standard CPR (S-CPR) or IPoC. IPoC was initiated 40 seconds into CPR with a 20 sec pause followed by 20 sec of compressions, 1 cycle. This cycling was performed 4 total times after which S-CPR was continued. Defibrillation and epinephrine were given, as necessary. Data were collected every 40 sec during CPR and at 15 min, 1 and 2 hr after return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). Data were analyzed using ANOVA with pairwise comparisons. Significance set at p <.05. Non-DM rats displayed high rates of ROSC in both S-CPR, and IPoC groups, 100% (5 of 5) and 83% (5 of 6) respectively. DM S-CPR rats had a reduced ROSC rate at 14% (1 of 7) which improved to 80% (4 of 5) with IPoC. There were no significant differences between DM S-CPR and IPoC groups during CPR. Only DM rats required defibrillations. DM rats had a significantly longer time to ROSC, higher epinephrine requirement, lower nadir pH, and lower carotid blood flow at end experiment. There was no difference in any marker between non-DM S-CPR and IPoC groups after ROSC. DM was associated with increased injury from CA. IPoC was not harmful to non-DMs but improved ROSC rate and thus survival in DM rats. This is a novel demonstration of IPoC utility in a historically conditioning resistant group.