Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) Practice Test

What is the primary treatment for a patient who is unresponsive and not breathing?

1. Oxygen therapy

2. Chest compressions

3. Defibrillation

4. Endotracheal intubation

The correct answer is: Chest compressions

The primary treatment for a patient who is unresponsive and not breathing is chest compressions. In such a situation, the absence of breathing indicates that the patient may be in cardiac arrest, which requires immediate initiation of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Chest compressions are crucial because they help circulate blood to vital organs, particularly the brain and heart, until professional medical help arrives or the heart spontaneously resumes normal functioning. Oxygen therapy is not immediately effective in this scenario since the patient is not breathing, meaning that the delivery of oxygen would not be possible or useful without restoring adequate circulation first. Defibrillation is specifically indicated in cases of certain cardiac arrhythmias, such as ventricular fibrillation, but it is not the first step when a patient is unresponsive and not breathing. Endotracheal intubation might eventually be required to secure the airway, but it comes after initiating chest compressions and addressing basic life support measures. Therefore, starting chest compressions is the critical first action that significantly increases the patient's chances of survival.