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Drowning cardiac arrest — DipIMC MCQ

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EasyResuscitationDrowning cardiac arrestDipIMC

A teenager is pulled from a lake unresponsive and not breathing normally. Bystanders have called 999 and no AED is yet available. What is the most appropriate immediate action?

Educational content. Not a substitute for clinical judgement or local policy.

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Correct answer: D — Start rescue breaths and chest compressions while preventing heat loss

Option D is correct because Drowning arrest is primarily hypoxic, so ventilation is particularly important alongside CPR. Option E is less appropriate because oxygen may be supportive, but it does not address the defining time-critical problem first; option C is less appropriate because vascular access is useful, but it should not delay the immediate priority. Option A is less appropriate because it is plausible in a different scenario but suboptimal for the features described; option B is less appropriate because delay would increase clinical risk. Clinical pearl: in DipIMC-style questions, the best answer is the intervention that changes outcome earliest in the pre-hospital phase.

Reference: Resuscitation Council UK Guidelines