What should you do if you see a choking adult who collapses before you can provide any assistance?

When you witness an adult choking and they collapse, it is critical to proceed immediately with CPR. This is because the person is in a life-threatening situation, and starting chest compressions can help maintain blood circulation and potentially expel the obstructing object.

The act of administering CPR in this scenario bypasses the regular steps of checking responsiveness or activating emergency services first, as the most urgent priority is to ensure the person's survival. When someone is unresponsive and has potentially lost consciousness due to choking, starting CPR without delay is essential. This response is especially important in cases of a complete airway obstruction where the victim is unable to breathe or cough.

While activating the emergency response system is indeed important in emergency situations, it is typically done after ensuring that the victim is stabilized or if help is available to assist while CPR is underway. Checking for a foreign object or attempting abdominal thrusts might also be logical responses in some contexts, but when the person is unresponsive and has collapsed, those actions would not be appropriate priorities. The key goal is to restore airway patency and circulation as fast as possible, which is why immediate CPR is the focus.