In drowning, what is the recommended approach if cardiac arrest occurs?

• A. CPR with emphasis on ventilations
• B. Defibrillate first
• C. Only chest compressions
• D. Submerge to remove water

Answer: (A)

Drowning-related cardiac arrest is driven by severe oxygen deprivation, so restoring ventilation quickly is the priority. During CPR for this situation, emphasize delivering breaths to oxygenate the blood while you perform chest compressions. This addresses the underlying hypoxia that caused the arrest, which makes ventilation a key factor in improving outcomes. Defibrillation is only useful if a shockable rhythm is present, which is less common in drowning, so it isn’t the primary focus. Delaying care to submerge or remove water would worsen the situation, so promptly remove the person from the water and start CPR with ventilations.