Emergency & SafetyQuestion 171 of 200
A conscious adult is clutching their throat and unable to speak or cough. The trained first response is:
a.Have the person lie flat and start chest compressions
b.Deliver abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) — stand behind, place a fist above the navel, and thrust inward and upward until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive
c.Encourage the person to drink water to wash down the obstruction
d.Insert fingers into the throat to retrieve the object regardless of visibility
Explanation
For a conscious adult choking on a foreign object (universal sign: hands at throat, unable to speak/cough/breathe), the standard intervention is abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) — fist placed just above the navel and below the rib cage, sharp inward and upward thrusts. If the person becomes unresponsive, lower them to the ground and begin CPR, checking the mouth for the object before each set of breaths. Blind finger sweeps (d) can push objects deeper. Water (c) can aspirate into the lungs. Lying flat first (a) loses gravity assistance.
Law Reference: American Red Cross choking response; AHA guidelinesPractice all 200 questions free — no signup required.
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