6.0 Choking and Airway Obstruction CPR/AED Practice Quiz
36 exam-style questions covering 12% of the CPR/AED exam. Instant feedback on every answer, progress tracking, no signup required.
This domain is part of the CPR / AED Certification practice test. Each question is tagged by exam objective and difficulty so you can drill exactly the areas you need.
Sample Questions
An adult at a restaurant suddenly stops eating, clutches the front of the neck with both hands, and looks panicked. AHA Part 11 calls this gesture by what name?
- A. The recovery position signal
- B. The agonal gasp posture
- C. The universal choking sign
- D. The CPR readiness gesture
AHA Part 11 names the universal choking sign, clutching the neck with both hands, as the indicator that someone is choking.
An adult clutches their throat, nods 'yes' to 'Are you choking?', and cannot speak. According to AHA Part 11's Adult FBAO sequence, what should you do first?
- A. Lay them down and start chest compressions
- B. Give 30 forceful breaths
- C. Give 5 forceful back blows between the shoulder blades, then 5 abdominal thrusts if needed
- D. Wait several minutes to see if the obstruction clears on its own
AHA Part 11 directs the rescuer to deliver 5 forceful back blows between the shoulder blades; if those do not relieve the choking, perform 5 abdominal thrusts.
You suspect a coworker has a foreign body airway obstruction. According to AHA Part 11, which question and response confirm severe airway obstruction?
- A. 'Can you walk?', only mobility matters
- B. 'Are you OK?', only verbal answers count
- C. 'Did you eat anything?', if they say 'no,' it is not choking
- D. 'Are you choking?', if the person nods 'yes' and cannot talk, severe airway obstruction is present
AHA Part 11 directs the rescuer to ask 'Are you choking?' and confirms severe airway obstruction if the person nods 'yes' and cannot talk.
After 5 back blows fail to relieve choking in an adult, you proceed to abdominal thrusts. AHA Part 11 describes how to deliver them. Which technique is correct?
- A. Stand in front of the person and push down on the chest
- B. Lay the person down and push laterally on the rib cage
- C. Press both flat palms on the lower back and squeeze rhythmically
- D. Stand behind the person, make a fist with one hand, grab it with the other, and press inward and slightly upward into the abdomen above the navel
AHA Part 11 describes making a fist with one hand, grabbing it with the other, and pressing inward and slightly upward into the abdomen, the classic abdominal thrust position from behind the person.
AHA Part 11 explicitly prohibits one common adult choking-relief maneuver from infants. Which is it?
- A. Back blows
- B. Chest thrusts
- C. Abdominal thrusts
- D. Visualization for visible foreign body
AHA Part 11 explicitly states do not use abdominal thrusts on infants because their abdominal anatomy makes them more susceptible to internal injury.
AHA Part 11's Infant FBAO algorithm lists specific signs of severe airway obstruction. Which set of findings is consistent with that algorithm?
- A. Loud forceful coughing and crying
- B. Normal breathing and full conversation
- C. Weak or absent cough, inability to cry or vocalize
- D. Slowly developing fever and chills
AHA Part 11's Infant FBAO algorithm uses signs such as weak or absent cough and inability to cry or vocalize as evidence of severe airway obstruction.
After your first sequence of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts in a choking adult, the obstruction is not relieved. What does AHA Part 11 direct you to do next?
- A. Stop and wait for EMS without further intervention
- B. Insert your finger deep into the throat to feel for the object
- C. Switch immediately to chest compressions while the person is still responsive
- D. Continue alternating 5 back blows followed by 5 abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive
AHA Part 11 directs the rescuer to continue alternating 5 back blows followed by 5 abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive.
You attempt abdominal thrusts on a choking adult but cannot reach around the abdomen because of body size. According to AHA Part 11, what is the correct alternative?
- A. Force the rescuer's arms around tighter regardless of fit
- B. Skip the maneuver entirely
- C. Substitute 5 chest thrusts for the 5 abdominal thrusts because the rescuer cannot encircle the abdomen
- D. Apply pressure with the foot to the abdomen
AHA Part 11 says when the rescuer is unable to encircle the patient's abdomen, 5 chest thrusts should be used instead of 5 abdominal thrusts.
Key Terms in This Domain
- Severe airway obstruction: Victim cannot cough effectively, speak, or breathe; intervene immediately with abdominal thrusts or back blows
- Infant choking response: Alternate 5 back blows (between shoulder blades) with 5 chest thrusts (two fingers on lower sternum) until the object is expelled or the infant becomes unresponsive
- Mild airway obstruction: Victim can cough forcefully and speak; encourage continued coughing: do not interfere
- Abdominal thrusts (Heimlich): Stand behind a conscious adult or child, fist just above the navel, grasp with the other hand and give quick inward and upward thrusts until the object is expelled or the victim becomes unresponsive
- Chest thrusts: Used for pregnant or visibly obese choking victims when abdominal thrusts cannot be performed effectively
- Two-thumb encircling-hands technique: Preferred for two-rescuer infant CPR: both thumbs on the lower sternum, hands encircling the chest
- Airway anatomy (pediatric): Larger tongue and smaller airway; head tilt only to a neutral or slightly extended position, avoid hyperextension in infants
- Universal choking sign: Hands clutched to the throat: ask "Are you choking?" and act if the victim cannot speak, cough, or breathe
- Anatomic vs aspirational obstruction: Anatomic: tongue/swelling blocking the airway (manage with airway maneuvers); aspirational: foreign body (manage with thrusts and CPR)
- Activate EMS (911): Send someone to call 911 and get an AED; if alone with an unresponsive adult, call 911 first; for a child or infant, give 2 minutes of CPR before calling if alone
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Other CPR/AED Domains
- 1.0 Introduction and Chain of Survival
- 2.0 Assessment and Recognition
- 3.0 Adult CPR
- 4.0 Child and Infant CPR
- 5.0 AED Operation
- 7.0 Special Situations and Recovery
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