Question

While you are doing a Heimlich maneuver on a choking victim, he suddenly collapses, and the obstruction is still there. What's the next thing you should do?

Answer 1

If a choking victim suddenly collapses while performing the Heimlich maneuver, you should immediately transition to performing CPR to maintain blood flow until the heart resumes beating.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a choking victim suddenly collapses while you are performing the Heimlich maneuver and the obstruction is still present, you should immediately transition to performing CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) to maintain the flow of blood until the heart resumes beating.

CPR involves applying pressure to the sternum in the area between the lines at T4 and T9. By manually compressing the blood within the heart, you can push some of the blood into the pulmonary and systemic circuits, which is critical for preventing irreversible damage and death of neurons.

CPR should be performed until the patient regains spontaneous contraction or is declared dead by an experienced healthcare professional.

Learn more about CPR during a choking emergency