A 45-year-old male has a femoral artery bleed. What should you do?

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Multiple Choice

A 45-year-old male has a femoral artery bleed. What should you do?

The main idea is how to control life-threatening external bleeding. For a major arterial bleed in a limb, you start by applying firm direct pressure to the wound with a clean dressing. This directly compresses the injured artery, slows the bleed, and buys time for definitive care. Elevation alone won’t reliably stop an arterial bleed, and irrigation isn’t appropriate as a first step when bleeding is brisk. A tourniquet is a backup measure to use only if direct pressure cannot control the hemorrhage or access makes pressure ineffective; if you ever need to use one, place it proximal to the wound and note the time. So, the best immediate action is to apply direct pressure.

The main idea is how to control life-threatening external bleeding. For a major arterial bleed in a limb, you start by applying firm direct pressure to the wound with a clean dressing. This directly compresses the injured artery, slows the bleed, and buys time for definitive care. Elevation alone won’t reliably stop an arterial bleed, and irrigation isn’t appropriate as a first step when bleeding is brisk. A tourniquet is a backup measure to use only if direct pressure cannot control the hemorrhage or access makes pressure ineffective; if you ever need to use one, place it proximal to the wound and note the time. So, the best immediate action is to apply direct pressure.

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