BLS Recognition of Cardiac Arrest 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A 55-year-old collapses at a grocery store. You tap his shoulders and shout — no response. What is your NEXT immediate action?
- Begin chest compressions immediately
- Call for help and activate emergency response (Correct answer)
- Open the airway and give 2 rescue breaths
- Check for a pulse for up to 10 seconds
Correct answer: Call for help and activate emergency response
After confirming unresponsiveness, you should call for help and activate the emergency response system (call 911 or send someone) before or simultaneously with beginning CPR.
Question 2: Which finding would MOST strongly confirm that a victim is in cardiac arrest rather than unconscious from another cause?
- Pale or bluish skin color
- Absence of normal breathing and no detectable pulse (Correct answer)
- Unresponsiveness to verbal stimulation
- Dilated pupils
Correct answer: Absence of normal breathing and no detectable pulse
The definitive signs of cardiac arrest are unresponsiveness combined with absence of normal breathing and absence of a detectable pulse.
Question 3: A bystander tells you the collapsed person 'took a big breath and stopped.' This description best fits which breathing pattern associated with cardiac arrest?
- Cheyne-Stokes respiration
- Agonal breathing (Correct answer)
- Kussmaul breathing
- Biot breathing
Correct answer: Agonal breathing
Agonal breathing consists of gasping, irregular breaths that can occur in the first minutes after cardiac arrest and should not be mistaken for normal breathing.
Question 4: You arrive at a scene where a person is unresponsive. How long should you check for a carotid pulse before concluding there is no pulse?
- At least 30 seconds
- No more than 10 seconds (Correct answer)
- At least 15 seconds
- 5 seconds or less
Correct answer: No more than 10 seconds
AHA guidelines recommend checking the carotid pulse for no more than 10 seconds; if you cannot definitively feel a pulse within that time, assume cardiac arrest and begin CPR.
Question 5: Which of the following is LEAST reliable when used alone to recognize cardiac arrest in an unresponsive adult?
- Absence of carotid pulse
- Absence of normal breathing
- Cyanosis of the lips and fingernails (Correct answer)
- Unresponsiveness to painful stimuli
Correct answer: Cyanosis of the lips and fingernails
Cyanosis is a late sign and is not specific to cardiac arrest; it can occur in severe respiratory distress or shock without cardiac arrest.
Question 6: A child is found unresponsive and not breathing normally. According to pediatric BLS guidelines, a lone rescuer should first:
- Call 911 immediately before doing anything else
- Perform 2 minutes of CPR before activating emergency services (Correct answer)
- Check carotid pulse for up to 10 seconds then call 911
- Apply an AED immediately
Correct answer: Perform 2 minutes of CPR before activating emergency services
For a lone rescuer with a pediatric victim, AHA recommends performing about 2 minutes (5 cycles) of CPR before leaving to call 911, because pediatric arrests are usually respiratory in origin.
Question 7: Which scenario represents the HIGHEST-RISK population for sudden cardiac arrest in the United States?
- Teenage athletes during vigorous exercise
- Adults over 60 with known coronary artery disease (Correct answer)
- Children under 10 with congenital defects
- Women under 40 with no cardiac history
Correct answer: Adults over 60 with known coronary artery disease
Adults over 60 with coronary artery disease constitute the largest and highest-risk group for sudden cardiac arrest in the US.
BLS Recognition of Cardiac Arrest 2
A 55-year-old collapses at a grocery store.
You tap his shoulders and shout — no response.
What is your NEXT immediate action?