What is the MOST common cause of airway obstruction in an unconscious patient?

• A. The tongue
• B. Vomitus
• C. Blood clots
• D. Aspirated fluid

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is what tends to block an airway once a person becomes unconscious. When someone loses consciousness, the muscles that normally hold the tongue in place relax. The tongue can relax and fall backward into the throat, narrowing or completely blocking the airway. This soft-tissue blockage is the most common cause of airway obstruction in an unconscious patient because it directly involves the airway structure that sits right behind the tongue and is highly likely to occlude air flow as tone is lost.

While vomit, aspirated fluids, or clots can also obstruct airways, they are less consistently the primary issue in an unconscious patient and tend to occur in specific circumstances (like vomiting or trauma). The tongue’s tendency to fall back is the predictable, frequent mechanism, which is why displacement of the tongue and maintaining an open airway (via techniques like jaw thrust or using an oropharyngeal airway) is the cornerstone of initial management.