Heimlich maneuver is used for?

Appeared in: VSSC Nursing Officer - 2021

Explanation

The Heimlich maneuver, also known as abdominal thrusts, is a first-aid procedure specifically designed to dislodge a foreign object from a person's airway when they are choking.
It works by applying sudden, forceful pressure to the abdomen, just above the navel, which pushes the diaphragm upward.
This action compresses the air in the lungs, creating an artificial cough strong enough to expel the obstructing object.

Option A: Improving lung capacity involves therapeutic exercises like deep breathing or incentive spirometry, not an emergency procedure like abdominal thrusts.
Option B: Improving circulation is the primary goal of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), specifically chest compressions, which are used when a person is in cardiac arrest (no pulse).
Option D: The maneuver's purpose is mechanical airway clearance. It does not directly stimulate the cardiovascular system.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain First aid for Foreign Body Airway Obstruction (FBAO) as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Recognizing the universal sign of choking (clutching the throat) and acting quickly is a critical skill for nurses and the general public to prevent death from asphyxiation.
It is crucial to differentiate between partial airway obstruction (person can still cough/speak), where you should encourage coughing, and complete obstruction (cannot cough/speak), which requires immediate abdominal thrusts.
What if? If the choking victim becomes unconscious, the rescuer should stop the thrusts, carefully lower the person to the ground, call for emergency help, and begin CPR, starting with chest compressions. Before giving rescue breaths, the rescuer should look in the mouth for the object.

How to Approach the Question

First, identify the core concept of the question, which is the 'Heimlich maneuver'.
Recall the primary purpose of this well-known first-aid procedure.
Analyze the provided options to determine which one accurately describes this purpose.
Option A (lung capacity), B (circulation), and D (cardiovascular stimulation) relate to different physiological goals or systems and are not the primary function of the maneuver.
Option C ('expel foreign bodies in the respiration') directly and accurately describes the reason for performing the Heimlich maneuver.
The accompanying image reinforces this by visually demonstrating the technique used to clear an airway.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Q_-u1gg7eYqJIcXo8G71QJ

E6 Anatomy Applied Ashalatha 4e p. 96-98

E6 Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics(2024) — Volume 1 p. 602-604

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