Managing An Airway Obstruction

MANAGING AN AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION

Effective airway management is a topic that is is reviewed in an American Heart Association (AHA) ACLS certification course. Without proper airway management, an individual may suffer from  a severe lack of oxygen as their airway is blocked.
An airway obstruction can result in a serious medical crisis even resulting in death. But an individual certified in ACLS is taught the skills to manage a difficult airway management situation and is trained in various ways to remove or prevent an airway obstruction.
To better understand the importance of airway management, we'll examine a few common ways a person’s airway can become obstructed, and why this topic is critical in ACLS certification training.

WHAT CAUSES AN AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION?

​An airway obstruction prevents air from reaching the lungs and may occur for various reasons including the following:
1. Tongue. If a person is unconscious and lying in a supine position, the tongue can retract into the throat and block the airway, preventing air from entering the lungs.
2. Foreign Object. If a person swallows or inhales a foreign object, this item may block the airway, resulting in choking, coughing and wheezing.
3. Chemical Burns. Harmful chemicals that touch the skin may cause an acute upper airway obstruction negatively impacting the trachea, voice box and throat.
4. Smoke Inhalation. Breathing in smoke may result in a shortness of breath, coughing and noisy breathing.
Unfortunately, airway obstruction often occurs without notice and can be treated in many ways.
​If an object obstructs the airway, a special instrument may be used to remove the item. In other cases, an endotracheal tube could be used to create a passageway into the victim’s lungs to help the victim breathe, while a tracheostomy or cricothyrotomy (an opening through the neck into the airway) also may be used for airway obstruction treatment.

AIRWAY OBSTRUCTION PREVENTION AND TREATMENT and Becoming ACLS Certified.

There are many ways to prevent an airway obstruction, including the following:
1. When eating, it is important to eat slowly and carefully to ensure any food is chewed and swallowed completely. For those individuals or loved ones who wear dentures, ensure the dentures fit properly for proper chewing and swallowing.
2. It is also important to keep small objects away from children to eliminate choking and swallowing hazards.
3. Avoid excessive alcohol consumption before or while eating.

The ACLS certification training provides a great opportunity to learn about difficult airway issues and how to prevent certain airway management problems.
ACLS classes focus on a number of key topics, such as:
Basic Life Support (BLS) and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
How to initiate the ACLS process
The best ways to deliver airway management assistance
Recognition of arrhythmias
Use of appropriate medications and electrical therapy
When it comes to delivering airway management support, you’ll want to become ACLS-certified. By doing so, you will gain increased knowledge and confidence on the topic of airway management and be able to assist airway obstruction victims at any time.

Why You should choose help-a-heart cpr for ACLS CERTIFICATION?

An airway obstruction can be a life-threatening event. Fortunately, you’ll be able to receive valuable insights and information from experienced medical professionals if you enroll in an ACLS certification class from Help-A-Heart CPR.
One never knows when a obstructed airway emergency crisis may occur. However, by becoming ACLS certified you’ll be better prepared to provide airway management assistance quickly and efficiently. With our extensive ACLS certification training program, you’ll be able to discover what it takes to provide airway management support. You also may become a key contributor in an airway management emergency because you’ll be able to help airway obstruction victims.
This ACLS certification class takes approximately 12 hours to complete and provides a combination of hands-on lessons and classroom sessions to ensure you understand what it takes to provide airway management support. Upon successful completion of the ACLS Provider class, you’ll receive an American Heart Association ACLS certification card that will remain valid for two years.
An airway obstruction represents a serious problem that may cause harm or death. But with ACLS certification training from Help-A-Heart CPR, you can benefit from a superior learning experience that enables you to become ACLS-certified so you can provide lifesaving assistance in a broad range of critical situations.