What should you do when a patient is in respiratory arrest?

What should you do when a patient is in respiratory arrest?

• A. Begin chest compressions
• B. Immediately start BVM ventilation
• C. Administer epinephrine
• D. Place patient in Trendelenburg

Answer: (B)

When a patient is in respiratory arrest, the immediate priority is to restore ventilation to deliver oxygen to the lungs and tissues. The quickest, most effective way to do this in the field is to start assisted ventilation with a bag-valve-mask. Ensure a good seal, open the airway (head-tilt-chin lift or jaw-thrust as indicated), and deliver breaths that cause visible chest rise. Use a rhythm of about 10–12 breaths per minute (one breath every 5–6 seconds) for an adult, providing continuous support until the patient resumes breathing or additional help arrives. If the patient has a pulse, this ventilation support alone can sustain oxygen delivery. If there is no pulse, you would begin CPR, but the initial step in respiratory arrest is ventilation. Epinephrine is not the immediate intervention for respiratory arrest, and placing the patient in Trendelenburg is not indicated and can hinder breathing.

When a patient is in respiratory arrest, the immediate priority is to restore ventilation to deliver oxygen to the lungs and tissues. The quickest, most effective way to do this in the field is to start assisted ventilation with a bag-valve-mask. Ensure a good seal, open the airway (head-tilt-chin lift or jaw-thrust as indicated), and deliver breaths that cause visible chest rise. Use a rhythm of about 10–12 breaths per minute (one breath every 5–6 seconds) for an adult, providing continuous support until the patient resumes breathing or additional help arrives.

If the patient has a pulse, this ventilation support alone can sustain oxygen delivery. If there is no pulse, you would begin CPR, but the initial step in respiratory arrest is ventilation. Epinephrine is not the immediate intervention for respiratory arrest, and placing the patient in Trendelenburg is not indicated and can hinder breathing.