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Course Handout

This document provides guidance on recognizing and treating choking in adults. It outlines the signs of mild versus severe airway obstruction and describes the steps to take for each. For conscious victims with severe obstruction, it recommends administering up to five back blows followed by five abdominal thrusts if needed, repeating the sequence until the obstruction is cleared. For unconscious victims or if the conscious victim does not respond, it advises calling for emergency help and beginning CPR.

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Ronaldi Roni
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
37 views

Course Handout

This document provides guidance on recognizing and treating choking in adults. It outlines the signs of mild versus severe airway obstruction and describes the steps to take for each. For conscious victims with severe obstruction, it recommends administering up to five back blows followed by five abdominal thrusts if needed, repeating the sequence until the obstruction is cleared. For unconscious victims or if the conscious victim does not respond, it advises calling for emergency help and beginning CPR.

Uploaded by

Ronaldi Roni
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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With your other hand, grasp the far leg just above the knee

and pull it up,


keeping the foot on the ground.

Keeping his hand pressed against the cheek, pull on the leg and
roll the victim toward you onto his side. Adjust the upper leg so that
both the hip and knee are bent at right angles.

Tilt the head back to make sure the airway remains open.
Adjust the hand under the cheek, if necessary, to keep the head
tilted.
Check breathing regularly.

CHOKING
Recognition
Because recognition of choking (airway obstruction by a foreign body) is the
key to successful outcome, it is important not to confuse this emergency with
fainting, heart attack, seizure or other conditions that may cause sudden
respiratory distress, cyanosis or loss of consciousness.
Foreign bodies may cause either mild or severe airway obstruction. The signs
and symptoms enabling differentiation between mild and severe airway
obstruction are summarised in the table below. It is important to ask the
conscious victim Are you choking?
Adult choking sequence
(This sequence is also suitable for use in children over the age of 1 year)
General signs of Choking
Attack occurs whilst eating
Victim may clutch his neck
Signs of mild airway

Signs of severe airway

obstruction

obstruction

Response to question Are you

Response to question Are you

choking?
Victim speaks and answers
yes
Other signs
Victim is able to speak, cough
and breathe

choking?
Victim unable to speak
Victim may respond by nodding
Other signs
Victim unable to breathe
Breathing sounds wheezy
Attempts at coughing are silent
Victim may be unconscious

1.

If the victim shows sign of mild airway obstruction:


Encourage him to continue coughing, but do nothing else.

If the victim shows signs of severe airway obstruction


and is conscious:

Give up to five back blows

Stand to the side and slightly behind the victim.

Support the chest with one hand and lean the


victim well forwards so that when the obstructing
object is dislodged it comes out of the mouth
rather than goes further down the airway.

Give up to five sharp blows between the shoulder


blades with the heel of your other hand.

Check to see if each back blow has relieved the airway


obstruction.

The aim is to remove the obstruction with each blow rather than
necessarily give all five.

If five back blows fail to relieve the airway obstruction


give up to five abdominal thrusts.
Stand behind the victim and put both arms round the upper
part of the abdomen.
Lean the victim forwards.
Clench your fist and place it between the umbilicus (navel) and the
bottom end of the sternum (breastbone).
Grasp this hand with your other hand and pull sharply inwards and
upwards.
Repeat up to five times.

If the obstruction is still not relieved, continue alternating five back


blows with five abdominal thrusts.
3.

If the victim becomes unconscious

Support the victim carefully to the ground.

Immediately call an ambulance.

Begin CPR. Healthcare providers, trained and experienced in


feeling for a carotid pulse, should initiate chest compressions
even if a pulse is present in the unconscious choking patient.

ADULT CHOKING SEQUENCE


(Suitable for use in children over the age of 1 year)

ASSESS SEVERITY

SEVERE AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION

MILD AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION

(INEFFECTIVE COUGH)

(EFFECTIVE COUGH

UNCONSCIOUS
START CPR

ENCOURAGE COUGH
CONTINUE TO CHECK

CONSCIOUS

FOR DETERIORATION TO
INEFFECTIVE COUGH

5 BACK BLOWS

OR RELIEF OF

5 ABDOMINAL THRUSTS

OBSTRUCTION

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