What should be done if a patient has an obstructed airway?

In the situation where a patient has an obstructed airway, performing abdominal thrusts for adults or back blows for infants is the appropriate and immediate action. This procedure is specifically designed to dislodge the object causing the obstruction.

Abdominal thrusts, also known as the Heimlich maneuver, create an upward force on the diaphragm, leading to increased pressure in the lungs and providing a strong expulsion of air. This can help to expel the obstruction from the airway of an adult or child. For infants, back blows are more suitable, as their anatomy and size require different techniques that are both safer and more effective in dislodging an obstruction.

Other options do not address the immediate threat of airway blockage adequately. While medications may be helpful in various emergency scenarios, they do not resolve an obstructed airway. Simply calling for advanced medical support would delay critical intervention when immediate action is necessary to ensure the patient's safety. Encouraging a patient to cough forcefully might be effective in milder cases of obstruction, but it is not a reliable or safe approach for all patients, especially if they are unable to cough effectively. Thus, performing abdominal thrusts or back blows is the established best practice in this situation.