What do you do if someone is choking and becomes unresponsive?

When a person who is choking becomes unresponsive, the immediate and appropriate action is to begin CPR and perform chest compressions. This is essential because the individual is unable to clear the airway on their own. When CPR is initiated, it serves two crucial purposes: it helps maintain blood circulation to vital organs and can also create pressure changes in the thorax that may help dislodge the obstructing object in the airway.

In performing CPR, the rescuer first ensures that the scene is safe and then checks for responsiveness and breathing. If the individual is unresponsive, the rescuer must then immediately call for emergency help if they have not already done so. While performing compressions, it’s also important to follow through with the CPR protocol, which includes giving rescue breaths after a set of compressions to support oxygenation, although the priority is maintaining chest compressions to circulate blood.

The other options—administering back blows, calling for emergency help without starting CPR, or encouraging the person to cough—are not suitable steps if the person is unresponsive. Back blows are typically used when a person is still conscious and can be directed to cough, while calling for help and encouraging coughs do not provide immediate assistance to the unresponsive individual who