Cpr: Why Is It Best To Immediately Ventilate An Unconscious Person With A Severe Airway Obstruction?
When a person becomes unconscious while receiving the Heimlich maneuver; and after laying the patient supine and seeing that there is no visible obstruction to clear via the mouth, the next step is to attempt to ventilate.
Doesn’t this pose the risk of forcing an obstructing object farther down into the airway? Wouldn’t it make more sense to immediately perform chest compressions?
Related posts:
- If You Find A Person Unconscious, But Breathing Do You Perform Cpr?
- If A Person Is Unconscious, But Breathing And Has A Faint Pulse Do You Perform Cpr?
- If Someone Was Choking And U Are Not Certified To Perform Cpr, What Should U Do?
- What Are The Steps Used In Cpr And How Does It Actually Restart The Heart?
- Have You Ever Given Cpr/needed Cpr Or Watched Someone Get Cpr?
September 16, 2009 @ 10:42 am
Two thoughts: Most AHA text books indicate the rescuer should immediate begin CPR (Which could be interpreted as Chest Compressions First)….
More Likely: The Object will not be forced further “Down” the airway because most objects are “on top of” the airway and if the object could have moved further down, it would have already, by the vacuum the victim (patient) creates by trying to “suck” in air before collapsing.
Also, many victims relax their muscle a bit when falling unresponsive and are no longer “sucking” air in (No Vacuum) and the object falls off the top of the airway to the “other tube” esophagus or other part of the Oral Pharynx. Thanks.
September 16, 2009 @ 10:48 am
If you can open the airway through a head tilt/chin lift without doing chest compressions, then there is no need for compressions. Keep in mind that the patient going from a standing position to a supine position in addition to the attempt to open the airway could move the object enough to open the airway.
Chest compressions are only used when the airway is completely obstructed, and you won’t know it’s completely obstructed until you attempt to ventilate.
September 16, 2009 @ 3:18 pm
if you can not ventilate start the obstructed airway procedure which for someone who is not a trained rescuer is done by chest compressions, basically CPR. The main blockage of an airway is the tongue and this is corrected by head position. Heimlich manever is only used on a consious person, again layman rescurer.
September 16, 2009 @ 9:42 pm
Because you have to do something the results of success are varied.
This is panic stations, there is no logic just make your assessment.
This assessment is book based but really in a situation like you’ve described just do what you think will save the persons life. If it doesn’t it’s not like you didn’t try anything.
They do not recommend the Heimlich maneuver in Oz.
You’ll find that the breaths are not compulsory to do in CPR now anyway.
September 17, 2009 @ 4:35 am
Odds are that things have changed- the change in muscle tone, etc. could allow the obstruction to move or air to get past.
He NEEDS air- the attempt to offer it should take only a few seconds. If it does not go in, do chest compressions then a mouth check.
The thing is, if you go immediately to compressions, you risk injuries that may prove to have been for no reason.
September 17, 2009 @ 9:50 am
well if the person cannot breathe you want to get oxygen into them immediatly. you can’t live without it. that is the first step in CPR two rescue breaths. after doing so you want to give chest compresions which will cause the object to dislodge. then you scoop it out with your finger.
September 17, 2009 @ 11:21 am
I think that the idea is to release the trapped object from their throat. If this means that itmoves further down and is swallowed then so be it.
September 17, 2009 @ 12:35 pm
As a former fire / rescue, we use our fingers to get the obstruction out, if its feasible. After that we use CPR = Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation