If you are alone and you are the victim of an airway obstruction, do not be afraid for you can help yourself. Using your own fist, you can perform the abdominal thrust standing technique. You may also use the back of a chair to exert abdominal pressure. (See fig. 10-8.)

BREATHING

The second aspect of basic life support is to restore breathing in cases of respiratory arrest (the victim has stopped breathing). Failure of the breathing mechanism may be caused by various factors. They include complete airway obstruction, acute trauma, suffocation, electric shock drowning, and drug overdose. Unless something is done when the victim is not breathing, the

Figure 10-8.-Procedure for self-help.

heart will soon stop beating. In such instances, be prepared to start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The signs of respiratory arrest are an absence of respiratory effort, a lack of detectable air movement through the nose or mouth, unconsciousness, and a bluish discoloration of the lips and nail beds.