Basic Life Support (BLS) includes which of the following elements?

Basic Life Support (BLS) includes which of the following elements?

• A. High-quality CPR, rescue breaths, and using an AED
• B. Endotracheal intubation and IV medications
• C. Cardiac catheterization and surgery
• D. Pharmacologic therapy for chronic conditions

Answer: (A)

Basic Life Support centers on immediate actions to sustain life during cardiac arrest: high-quality chest compressions to maintain circulation, rescue breaths to provide oxygen, and rapid use of an AED to deliver a shock if a rhythm is treatable. These steps are what BLS trains rescuers to perform right away, before advanced care arrives. The other options involve techniques or treatments that require more specialized training and settings—advanced airway management and IV medications, hospital-based procedures like catheterization or surgery, and ongoing pharmacologic therapy for chronic conditions—so they aren’t part of BLS.

Basic Life Support centers on immediate actions to sustain life during cardiac arrest: high-quality chest compressions to maintain circulation, rescue breaths to provide oxygen, and rapid use of an AED to deliver a shock if a rhythm is treatable. These steps are what BLS trains rescuers to perform right away, before advanced care arrives. The other options involve techniques or treatments that require more specialized training and settings—advanced airway management and IV medications, hospital-based procedures like catheterization or surgery, and ongoing pharmacologic therapy for chronic conditions—so they aren’t part of BLS.