ACLS Test Prep (PALS, BLS, ACLS) | American Heart Association | Comprehensive
Study and Practice Guide
A 50-year-old man who has been eating steak in a restaurant abruptly stands up and grabs his
neck. The rescuer determines that the victim is choking. The best response is to: Use
abdominal thrusts
*Rationale:* Abdominal thrusts, also known as the Heimlich maneuver, are the preferred way
to dislodge a foreign object from an adult's airway.
An infant who had been choking becomes unresponsive. The rescuer should: Begin CPR
*Rationale:* Back blows, chest thrusts, or abdominal thrusts are not to be used if the chocking
victim becomes unconscious. Instead, CPR should begin immediately.
Efforts to relieve choking should be stopped when:
A) The obstruction is removed
B) The victim becomes unresponsive
C) The victim begins breathing normally
D) Any of the above occurs Any of the above occurs
*Rationale:* There is no need to continue choking interventions if the object is dislodged and
the patient can breathe once again. If a victim becomes unresponsive/unconscious, treat the
situation as cardiopulmonary arrest and start CPR. Efforts to relieve chocking should be
abandoned.
Chest compressions for an adult are performed: At a rate between 100 and 120
compressions per minute.
, *Rationale:* The most recent guidelines acknowledge that chest compressions can be
performed too slowly and too quickly. Thus, a rate of 100 to 120 is the recommended range.
The ratio of compressions to breaths in adults is: 30:2
*Rationale:* No matter how many rescuers are available (in adults), the correct ratio is 30 to 2.
An adult patient in respiratory arrest with a pulse is ventilated via bag valve mask: 10 to 12
times per minute.
*Rationale:* When there is no advanced airway in place, ventilations should be given 10 to 12
times per minute. This translates to one ventilation every 5 to 6 seconds.
Hypotension following cardiac arrest is NOT treated with:
A) IV calcium infusion
B) IV dopamine infusion
C) IV epinephrine infusion
D) IV Ringer's lactate or IV normal saline IV calcium infusion
*Rationale:* Fluid resuscitation and/or "pressors" like epinephrine and dopamine are used to
maintain blood pressure after cardiac arrest. Hypocalcemia, if present, can be treated
separately but this is not a standard treatment for hypotension.
The leader in team resuscitation must: Be able to perform all the skills if needed
Study and Practice Guide
A 50-year-old man who has been eating steak in a restaurant abruptly stands up and grabs his
neck. The rescuer determines that the victim is choking. The best response is to: Use
abdominal thrusts
*Rationale:* Abdominal thrusts, also known as the Heimlich maneuver, are the preferred way
to dislodge a foreign object from an adult's airway.
An infant who had been choking becomes unresponsive. The rescuer should: Begin CPR
*Rationale:* Back blows, chest thrusts, or abdominal thrusts are not to be used if the chocking
victim becomes unconscious. Instead, CPR should begin immediately.
Efforts to relieve choking should be stopped when:
A) The obstruction is removed
B) The victim becomes unresponsive
C) The victim begins breathing normally
D) Any of the above occurs Any of the above occurs
*Rationale:* There is no need to continue choking interventions if the object is dislodged and
the patient can breathe once again. If a victim becomes unresponsive/unconscious, treat the
situation as cardiopulmonary arrest and start CPR. Efforts to relieve chocking should be
abandoned.
Chest compressions for an adult are performed: At a rate between 100 and 120
compressions per minute.
, *Rationale:* The most recent guidelines acknowledge that chest compressions can be
performed too slowly and too quickly. Thus, a rate of 100 to 120 is the recommended range.
The ratio of compressions to breaths in adults is: 30:2
*Rationale:* No matter how many rescuers are available (in adults), the correct ratio is 30 to 2.
An adult patient in respiratory arrest with a pulse is ventilated via bag valve mask: 10 to 12
times per minute.
*Rationale:* When there is no advanced airway in place, ventilations should be given 10 to 12
times per minute. This translates to one ventilation every 5 to 6 seconds.
Hypotension following cardiac arrest is NOT treated with:
A) IV calcium infusion
B) IV dopamine infusion
C) IV epinephrine infusion
D) IV Ringer's lactate or IV normal saline IV calcium infusion
*Rationale:* Fluid resuscitation and/or "pressors" like epinephrine and dopamine are used to
maintain blood pressure after cardiac arrest. Hypocalcemia, if present, can be treated
separately but this is not a standard treatment for hypotension.
The leader in team resuscitation must: Be able to perform all the skills if needed
