Basic Life Support (BLS) Practice Exam

What action should be taken after recognizing a patient in cardiac arrest?

1. Call for help

2. Start CPR immediately

3. Administer medications

4. Wait for emergency services

The correct answer is: Start CPR immediately

Initiating CPR immediately is crucial after recognizing a patient in cardiac arrest because it serves as a vital intervention that helps maintain blood circulation and provides oxygen to the brain and other vital organs. When the heart is not pumping effectively, as seen in cardiac arrest, it leads to a lack of blood flow and oxygen. Starting CPR helps to manually circulate blood, which can make a significant difference in the patient's chance of survival and can buy time until advanced medical help arrives. While calling for help is an important step, it should ideally be done simultaneously by a trained individual who can manage the situation quickly and efficiently. Administering medications during cardiac arrest typically requires advanced training and should be done by healthcare professionals once they arrive. Waiting for emergency services without taking immediate actions like CPR would greatly reduce the patient's chances of survival, as every minute counts in making a significant impact on outcomes in cardiac arrest scenarios. Thus, immediate initiation of CPR is deemed the most critical initial action.