22 Choking Response Practice Questions & Answers
Every Choking Response practice question from the CPR, AED & First Aid Practice Test, with the correct answer and a short explanation.
Start practice test →1. An adult suddenly grabs their throat during a meal but is coughing forcefully and can still make gasping sounds. What is the correct action?
- A.Start CPR chest compressions
- B.Deliver 5 back blows right away
- C.Immediately begin abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver)
- D.Encourage them to keep coughing and stay with them, ready to act if it worsens✓ Answer
Forceful coughing and audible sounds indicate a mild (partial) airway obstruction, meaning air is still moving. Coughing is the most effective way to expel the object, so a rescuer should not interfere and should only intervene if the obstruction becomes severe.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Choking (mild vs. severe airway obstruction)Report a problem with this question
2. Which set of signs indicates a SEVERE airway obstruction requiring immediate intervention?
- A.Loud forceful coughing and the ability to speak in full sentences
- B.Slight wheeze while talking normally
- C.Inability to speak, cough, or breathe, possibly clutching the throat✓ Answer
- D.Mild throat irritation with normal breathing
A severe obstruction means air cannot move, so the victim cannot speak, cough, or breathe and may show cyanosis or clutch the throat (the universal choking sign). These signs are the trigger to begin back blows and thrusts immediately.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Recognition of severe airway obstructionReport a problem with this question
3. Under the 2025 AHA guidelines, what is the recommended technique for a conscious, choking adult with a severe obstruction?
- A.Alternate 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the victim becomes unresponsive✓ Answer
- B.A blind finger sweep followed by rescue breaths
- C.Only abdominal thrusts, never back blows
- D.Only back blows, never abdominal thrusts
The 2025 AHA guidelines added formal conscious-adult guidance for the first time: alternate 5 back blows with 5 abdominal thrusts, repeating the cycle until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive. Combining both maneuvers increases the chance of dislodging the object.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Conscious adult choking reliefReport a problem with this question
4. Where should you position your fist when giving abdominal thrusts to a choking adult?
- A.Below the navel near the pelvis
- B.Over the lower ribs on the left side
- C.Just above the navel and below the breastbone (xiphoid process)✓ Answer
- D.Directly on the breastbone between the nipples
The fist is placed in the midline just above the navel and well below the xiphoid process, then thrust inward and upward in a J-shape. This location transmits pressure to the diaphragm to force air upward without injuring the ribs or xiphoid.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Abdominal thrust hand placementReport a problem with this question
5. What direction should each abdominal thrust be delivered to a choking adult?
- A.A quick inward and upward (J-shaped) thrust✓ Answer
- B.Straight backward toward the spine only
- C.Straight downward toward the feet
- D.A slow, steady squeeze held for several seconds
Each thrust is a quick, distinct inward-and-upward J-shaped motion. The upward component raises the diaphragm and creates a burst of pressure beneath the obstruction to expel it, which a slow squeeze or downward push would not achieve.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Abdominal thrust techniqueReport a problem with this question
6. How should back blows be delivered to a choking adult?
- A.Firm blows between the shoulder blades using the heel of the hand✓ Answer
- B.Punches to the center of the chest
- C.Light taps on the lower back with the fingertips
- D.Blows to the back of the neck
Back blows are delivered firmly between the shoulder blades with the heel of the hand. This location and force create vibration and pressure that can help dislodge the object without striking vulnerable areas like the neck or chest.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Back blow techniqueReport a problem with this question
7. A conscious 4-year-old child has a severe airway obstruction. How does the relief technique compare to that for an adult?
- A.The same approach is used: alternate 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts✓ Answer
- B.Abdominal thrusts are forbidden for anyone under 8
- C.Only chest thrusts are allowed for children
- D.You must start CPR immediately without back blows
For a child older than 1 year, the choking-relief sequence is the same as for an adult: alternate 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts. Abdominal thrusts are only excluded for infants under 1 year, not for older children.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Child (over 1 year) choking reliefReport a problem with this question
8. What is the correct choking-relief sequence for a conscious infant under 1 year old?
- A.Give continuous abdominal thrusts only
- B.Alternate 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts
- C.Perform a blind finger sweep and give breaths
- D.Alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until the object comes out or the infant becomes unresponsive✓ Answer
For an infant, rescuers alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts until the object is expelled or the infant becomes unresponsive. Abdominal thrusts are never used on infants because of the risk of injuring their delicate internal organs.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Infant choking reliefReport a problem with this question
9. Why are abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver) never performed on a choking infant?
- A.They are too weak to move any object
- B.They risk injuring the infant's delicate internal organs✓ Answer
- C.Infants cannot choke on solid food
- D.They always cause vomiting
An infant's liver and other abdominal organs are large relative to the body and poorly protected, so abdominal thrusts can cause serious internal injury. Chest thrusts safely generate the needed pressure instead.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Rationale for excluding abdominal thrusts in infantsReport a problem with this question
10. How should you position a choking infant to deliver back blows?
- A.Face-up flat on a table with the head raised
- B.Held vertically upside down by the ankles
- C.Sitting upright on your lap
- D.Face-down along your forearm with the head lower than the chest, supporting the jaw✓ Answer
The infant is placed face-down along the forearm with the head lower than the chest, while the rescuer supports the jaw and head. Gravity assists the back blows in moving the object toward the mouth while keeping the airway supported.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Infant back blow positioningReport a problem with this question
11. Where do you place your fingers to give chest thrusts to a choking infant?
- A.Two fingers on the center of the chest just below the nipple line✓ Answer
- B.Both thumbs on the infant's throat
- C.Two fingers over the upper abdomen above the navel
- D.The heel of one hand on the abdomen
Chest thrusts on an infant use two fingers on the center of the chest just below the nipple line, the same landmark as infant CPR compressions. This targets the sternum over the chest cavity, safely away from the abdominal organs.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Infant chest thrust landmarkReport a problem with this question
12. Approximately how deep should each chest thrust be on a choking infant?
- A.About 1.5 inches (4 cm)✓ Answer
- B.As deep as possible with full body weight
- C.About 3 inches (7.5 cm)
- D.About half an inch (1 cm)
Infant chest thrusts, like infant compressions, are about 1.5 inches (4 cm) deep — roughly one-third the depth of the chest. This is enough to generate expelling pressure while remaining safe for an infant's small body.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Infant chest thrust depth (~1.5 in / 4 cm)Report a problem with this question
13. You are helping a choking adult when they suddenly go limp and unresponsive. What should you do first?
- A.Perform a blind finger sweep and wait
- B.Carefully lower them to a firm, flat surface, activate EMS/call 911, and begin CPR✓ Answer
- C.Continue standing abdominal thrusts on the limp body
- D.Give two rescue breaths and stop
When a choking victim becomes unresponsive, lower them to a firm flat surface, activate EMS and get an AED, then begin CPR starting with chest compressions. The compressions themselves also help build pressure that can expel the object.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Choking victim who becomes unresponsiveReport a problem with this question
14. During CPR on a choking victim, what should you do each time you open the airway to give breaths?
- A.Perform a blind finger sweep every time
- B.Look inside the mouth and remove the object only if you can see it✓ Answer
- C.Skip breaths entirely and only do compressions
- D.Turn the victim on their side to drain the airway
In choking-modified CPR, each time you open the airway you look for the object and remove it only if it is visible. A blind finger sweep is never done because it can push the object deeper into the airway.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Check for visible object before breaths; no blind finger sweepReport a problem with this question
15. Why is a blind finger sweep NOT recommended when managing a choking victim?
- A.It is only allowed for trained doctors
- B.It always removes teeth
- C.It is too slow to be useful
- D.It can push the object deeper into the airway and worsen the obstruction✓ Answer
A blind finger sweep is done without seeing the object, so it risks pushing a lodged item further down and turning a partial obstruction into a complete one. Objects should be removed only when they can actually be seen.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Rationale against blind finger sweepsReport a problem with this question
16. What is the correct compression-to-breath ratio for single-rescuer CPR on an unresponsive adult choking victim?
- A.Compressions only, no breaths ever
- B.15 compressions to 2 breaths
- C.5 compressions to 1 breath
- D.30 compressions to 2 breaths✓ Answer
Single-rescuer adult CPR uses a ratio of 30 compressions to 2 breaths. This same cycle applies to a choking victim who has become unresponsive, with the added step of looking for a visible object before each set of breaths.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Adult single-rescuer CPR ratio 30:2Report a problem with this question
17. For an unresponsive choking victim, at what depth and rate should chest compressions be performed on an adult?
- A.About 1 inch deep at 60 per minute
- B.As slow as comfortable, depth does not matter
- C.About 4 inches deep at 150 per minute
- D.About 2 inches deep at 100–120 compressions per minute✓ Answer
Adult chest compressions should be at least 2 inches (5 cm) deep at a rate of 100–120 per minute, pushing hard and fast with full recoil. Adequate depth and rate maintain blood flow and help build the pressure that can expel the object.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Adult compression depth (~2 in) and rate (100–120/min)Report a problem with this question
18. A visibly pregnant woman in her third trimester is choking and you cannot get your arms around her abdomen. What technique should you use?
- A.Standard abdominal thrusts anyway
- B.Thrusts directly over the pregnant belly
- C.Chest thrusts, with hands on the lower half of the breastbone✓ Answer
- D.No intervention until EMS arrives
When you cannot encircle the abdomen — as with late-term pregnancy or obesity — you give chest thrusts with hands on the lower half of the breastbone, the same placement as CPR compressions. This avoids pressure on the abdomen and the fetus while still generating expelling force.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Choking in pregnancy/obesity: chest thrustsReport a problem with this question
19. For a choking victim who is very obese and whose abdomen you cannot encircle, where do your hands go for chest thrusts?
- A.On the soft belly below the navel
- B.On the throat to guide the object
- C.On the lower half of the breastbone (sternum), as in CPR✓ Answer
- D.On the middle of the back only
Chest thrusts for a person you cannot reach around use the same landmark as CPR: the lower half of the sternum. This lets the rescuer generate the necessary intrathoracic pressure when abdominal thrusts are not feasible.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Chest thrust hand placement (lower sternum)Report a problem with this question
20. You are choking and completely alone with no one to help. What is an appropriate self-treatment?
- A.Give yourself abdominal thrusts with your fist or press your upper abdomen forcefully over a firm edge like a chair back✓ Answer
- B.Lie down flat and wait for the object to pass
- C.Drink a large glass of water quickly
- D.Slap your own back repeatedly
When alone, you can perform self-abdominal thrusts by pressing your own fist inward and upward above the navel, or by thrusting your upper abdomen against a firm edge such as a chair back or counter. This substitutes for a rescuer's hands to create expelling pressure.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Self-treatment for chokingReport a problem with this question
21. After successfully relieving a choking episode with abdominal thrusts, what follow-up is recommended?
- A.They should immediately eat again to test the airway
- B.They must take antibiotics for a week
- C.No follow-up is ever needed once the object is out
- D.The person should be evaluated by a medical professional for possible internal injury✓ Answer
Abdominal thrusts can cause internal injury, and a retained foreign body may remain. Anyone who received thrusts or has a persistent cough, trouble breathing or swallowing, or a sensation of a stuck object should be evaluated by a medical professional.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Post-choking medical evaluationReport a problem with this question
22. A notable structural change in the 2025 AHA guidelines is the introduction of what?
- A.A single unified Chain of Survival covering all cardiac arrest, replacing the previously separate chains✓ Answer
- B.The removal of chest compressions from CPR
- C.Separate chains of survival for every age group
- D.A ban on calling 911 for choking
The 2025 guidelines replaced the previously separate adult and pediatric, in-hospital and out-of-hospital chains with a single unified Chain of Survival for all cardiac arrest. This simplifies the response framework across all settings and ages.
Source: 2025 AHA Guidelines for CPR & ECC — Single unified Chain of SurvivalReport a problem with this question
Practice questions based on the American Heart Association Guidelines for CPR & ECC and American Red Cross first-aid guidance. This is general education, not medical advice, and does not replace hands-on certification. To be certified in CPR/AED/First Aid you must complete an approved in-person course with a skills check. In a real emergency, call 911. Study official materials at cpr.heart.org or redcross.org. Official CPR guidelines →