Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Practice Exam

What should be your first step in managing a patient presenting with respiratory arrest?

1. Call for immediate help

2. Perform high-quality CPR

3. Open the airway

4. Administer emergency medications

The correct answer is: Open the airway

In the management of a patient presenting with respiratory arrest, opening the airway is the critical initial step. The rationale behind this action is that when a patient is in respiratory arrest, effective ventilation is essential to restore oxygenation. By opening the airway, you can create a clear passage for air to enter the lungs, which is crucial for delivering oxygen to the body’s tissues. Along with opening the airway, it is also important to assess the patient's breathing after this step, so you can determine if ventilation is adequate or if further interventions, such as rescue breaths or advanced airway management, are needed. While calling for immediate help and performing high-quality CPR are vital steps in the overall management of a patient in a critical situation, they follow the immediate action of ensuring the airway is patent. Administering emergency medications is also important but typically occurs after addressing airway and breathing needs. Opening the airway sets the stage for effective resuscitative efforts and is fundamental in the ACLS protocol for any patient in respiratory distress.