Board of Legal SpecializationPractice Exam

What is the purpose of performing high-quality CPR in a cardiac emergency?

1. To provide pain relief

2. To maintain blood flow to vital organs

3. To alleviate patient anxiety

4. To stabilize airway management

The correct answer is: To maintain blood flow to vital organs

Performing high-quality CPR during a cardiac emergency primarily serves to maintain blood flow to vital organs, particularly the brain and heart. When the heart stops beating effectively, there is a cessation of blood flow, leading to the rapid deterioration of organ function and the potential for irreversible damage within just minutes. High-quality CPR compresses the chest, which creates pressure that helps push blood throughout the body, ensuring that oxygen continues to reach crucial organs. By maintaining some level of circulation, high-quality CPR buys time until advanced medical help arrives or until the heart can be successfully restarted through defibrillation or other interventions. This is crucial because without immediate action, a person experiencing a cardiac arrest has a very limited window for successful resuscitation and recovery. Other options, while they might be considerations in a broader medical context, do not address the immediate and critical purpose of CPR. Pain relief is not the primary goal; rather, the focus is on sustaining vital organ function. Alleviating patient anxiety and stabilizing airway management are important aspects of overall emergency care but are not the central purpose of CPR in the context of a cardiac emergency.