If a choking patient becomes unresponsive, what should you do?

• A. Call for help only
• B. Begin chest compressions only
• C. Call for help and begin CPR
• D. Move the patient to a chair and reassess

Answer: (C)

When someone who is choking becomes unresponsive, the immediate priority is to provide circulation and breaths. Not breathing or ineffective breathing means the brain and heart aren’t getting oxygen, so you switch to CPR to restore blood flow and oxygen delivery. At the same time, you need to call for emergency help so advanced care can arrive quickly. If an AED is available, turn it on as soon as you can.

This is why doing both actions together is the best course: starting CPR without help delays potentially life-saving intervention, and waiting to see if the person improves won’t restore circulation or oxygen as effectively as CPR with rescue breaths. Moving the patient to a chair or attempting to reassess instead of starting CPR wastes critical time.