A 42-year-old female is in cardiac arrest after choking on a piece of food and you cannot ventilate. What should you do?

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Multiple Choice

A 42-year-old female is in cardiac arrest after choking on a piece of food and you cannot ventilate. What should you do?

When someone collapses into cardiac arrest and you can’t ventilate, the priority is to provide chest compressions to maintain blood flow to the heart and brain. High-quality compressions circulate oxygenated blood even if you can’t deliver breaths right away. Defibrillation is only immediate if a monitor shows a shockable rhythm, which isn’t the central step when ventilation isn’t possible. Taking time to pulse-check again also delays lifesaving chest compressions. If you can clear the airway quickly and safely, you may attempt ventilation afterwards, but the immediate move is continuous, effective chest compressions to restore perfusion while you manage the airway.

When someone collapses into cardiac arrest and you can’t ventilate, the priority is to provide chest compressions to maintain blood flow to the heart and brain. High-quality compressions circulate oxygenated blood even if you can’t deliver breaths right away. Defibrillation is only immediate if a monitor shows a shockable rhythm, which isn’t the central step when ventilation isn’t possible. Taking time to pulse-check again also delays lifesaving chest compressions. If you can clear the airway quickly and safely, you may attempt ventilation afterwards, but the immediate move is continuous, effective chest compressions to restore perfusion while you manage the airway.

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