Where do you check pulse in adults and children who are suspected to have gone through cardiac arrest?

• A. Femoral pulse
• B. Radial pulse
• C. Carotid pulse
• D. Brachial pulse

Answer: (C)

When a patient is suspected of having a cardiac arrest, you assess for a pulse quickly using the carotid artery. This central pulse reflects whether the heart is effectively delivering blood to the brain and vital organs, so feeling for a carotid pulse helps you decide promptly if CPR is needed. If you don’t detect a carotid pulse within about 5–10 seconds, you should start chest compressions right away. The radial pulse, felt at the wrist, is a peripheral pulse and can be absent even when there’s some blood flow, making it less reliable for rapid arrest assessment. The femoral pulse can be harder to locate quickly and isn’t the preferred site for immediate assessment in this scenario. For infants, the brachial pulse is used, but in adults and older children the carotid pulse is the best quick indicator of whether circulation is present.