Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) Practice Exam 2025 - Free ACLS Practice Questions and Study Guide

The initial airway management technique when approaching a patient who is found unresponsive is the head tilt-chin lift maneuver. This technique is critical because it helps to open the airway by repositioning the tongue and preventing it from obstructing the airway. In unresponsive patients, the risk of airway obstruction is high due to the relaxation of the muscles that keep the airway open.

By applying the head tilt-chin lift maneuver, the rescuer can create a clearer passage for air to flow into the lungs. It is a non-invasive method and should be performed before any advanced airway adjuncts, such as an oropharyngeal airway, are considered. If this initial maneuver does not sufficiently open the airway, then other techniques or devices can be utilized, such as bag-mask ventilation or the insertion of an airway adjunct.

In the context of the other options, while inserting an oropharyngeal airway and starting bag-mask ventilation are also important airway management steps, they are not the first actions taken. Conducting nasopharyngeal airway placement would also come after assessing and properly positioning the airway with basic maneuvers like the head tilt-chin lift.