which combination of signs and symptoms would indicate cardiac arrest?
Cardiac arrest is most strongly indicated by a combination of unresponsiveness, no normal breathing, and no detectable pulse, usually following a sudden collapse.
Direct answer for exams / practice
The classic combination you’re usually looking for is:
- Sudden collapse (often witnessed or found collapsed).
- Unresponsiveness: the person does not respond to shouting or firm shaking.
- No normal breathing: not breathing at all, or only gasping/agonal breaths.
- No pulse or signs of circulation (no detectable carotid pulse, not moving).
On multiple‑choice questions, the answer that pairs unresponsive + not breathing normally (or no breathing) ± no pulse is the one that indicates cardiac arrest rather than something like a faint or heart attack.
Mini breakdown: what you’d see
- Before collapse (possible warning signs) : chest discomfort, shortness of breath, palpitations, weakness or dizziness can appear but are not required.
- At the moment of arrest and after : abrupt loss of consciousness, eyes may roll back, seizure‑like movements may occur briefly due to lack of oxygen, then no normal breathing and very weak or absent pulse.
Once you have the triad of unresponsive + no normal breathing + no pulse , you treat it as cardiac arrest and start CPR and defibrillation if available.
Quick exam-style example
If a question asks: “Which combination of signs and symptoms would indicate cardiac arrest?” and gives options like:
- A. Chest pain and shortness of breath
- B. Dizziness and sweating
- C. Unresponsive and not breathing
- D. Nausea and palpitations
The best choice is: Unresponsive and not breathing (and ideally, with no pulse) —that’s the combination that indicates cardiac arrest, not just a heart attack or collapse from another cause.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.