Cardiopulmonary Emergency Recognition Flashcards

You find a person collapsed on the floor. They are unresponsive and making infrequent, snorting or gasping sounds. What is the correct interpretation of these sounds and the immediate action you should take?

Answer: These are agonal gasps, a sign of cardiac arrest; after calling for help, begin CPR immediately.

Agonal gasps are not effective breathing and are a sign of sudden cardiac arrest. A rescuer should recognize this, activate emergency services, and immediately begin high-quality chest compressions.

A coworker suddenly becomes confused, complains that one side of their body feels weak, and when they try to smile, one side of their face droops. Which assessment tool is most appropriate for this situation?

Answer: Use the F.A.S.T. acronym.

The symptoms described (facial drooping, arm weakness, and likely speech difficulty) are classic signs of a stroke. The F.A.S.T. (Face, Arm, Speech, Time) acronym is the standard prehospital tool to quickly recognize a stroke and emphasizes the urgency of calling for help.

An individual is awake and alert but complains of a persistent, uncomfortable pressure in the center of their chest and shortness of breath. This condition is most likely a heart attack because:

Answer: The person is still conscious and their heart is still beating.

A heart attack occurs when blood flow to the heart muscle is blocked, but the heart continues to beat, so the person remains conscious. Sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical problem where the heart stops beating effectively, leading to immediate unresponsiveness.

You find an adult victim who is unresponsive. You have confirmed the scene is safe and activated emergency services. After checking for a pulse for 5-10 seconds, you feel a definite pulse but the victim is not breathing. What is the correct intervention?

Answer: Provide 1 rescue breath every 6 seconds and recheck the pulse every 2 minutes.

This victim is in respiratory arrest; they have a pulse but are not breathing. The correct treatment is to provide rescue breaths at a rate of 1 every 6 seconds (10 breaths per minute) to supply oxygen. Chest compressions are not indicated because the heart is still circulating blood.

Upon approaching a scene where a person has collapsed in a public space, what is the absolute first priority before providing any care?

Answer: Check the scene for safety and potential hazards.

The first and most important step in any emergency response is to assess the scene for safety. A rescuer cannot help a victim if they become injured themselves. This involves looking for dangers such as traffic, fire, electrical hazards, or other threats.

You witness a person at a restaurant suddenly stand up, clutch their throat with both hands, and appear panicked. They are unable to speak, cough, or make any sound. These signs are most consistent with which emergency?

Answer: A severe airway obstruction

Clutching the throat with one or both hands is the universal sign for choking. The inability to speak, cough, or make sound indicates a severe airway obstruction that requires immediate intervention, such as abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver).