Cardiopulmonary Emergency Recognition Flashcards

An infant is found unresponsive. Where should a lay rescuer check the pulse?

Answer: Brachial artery on the inside of the upper arm

The brachial artery is the recommended pulse-check site in infants because the neck is short.

You see a child who was eating suddenly begin coughing forcefully and loudly. What is the best initial action?

Answer: Encourage the child to keep coughing and stay close to monitor

A forceful cough means air is moving, so encourage coughing rather than intervening.

Which finding best indicates that a person's breathing emergency is becoming life-threatening?

Answer: Bluish color around the lips and very quiet or absent air movement

Cyanosis (bluish lips) with minimal air movement signals severe, worsening respiratory distress.

A bystander reports that a person 'just fainted.' On assessment they are unresponsive with no normal breathing. You should:

Answer: Treat it as cardiac arrest and begin CPR

Unresponsiveness with no normal breathing must be treated as cardiac arrest regardless of the reported cause.

What is the recommended way to recognize cardiac arrest when you are not a trained healthcare provider?

Answer: Look for unresponsiveness and no normal breathing, without requiring a pulse check

Lay rescuers are taught to start CPR based on unresponsiveness and absent normal breathing, without a pulse check.

A person suddenly develops severe difficulty breathing, hives, and swelling of the lips after a bee sting. This is most consistent with:

Answer: Anaphylaxis (severe allergic reaction)

Breathing difficulty with hives and lip swelling after an exposure indicates anaphylaxis.

Why should rescue breaths only be given if you are trained and willing during a suspected cardiac arrest?

Answer: Hands-only CPR with continuous compressions is effective for untrained rescuers and avoids delays

Hands-only CPR is recommended for untrained bystanders because uninterrupted compressions maintain blood flow.