Cardiac
Sudden Cardiac Arrest & High-Quality CPR
What federal health agencies emphasize about cardiac arrest recognition, immediate CPR, and early defibrillation.
Recognizing cardiac arrest
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops pumping effectively. The CDC notes it is a leading cause of death and can happen without warning.1 EMS providers confirm unresponsiveness and absent or abnormal breathing, then immediately begin chest compressions unless contraindicated.
Agonal gasps are not effective breathing—treat them as arrest. Minimize pauses; perfusion drops within seconds when compressions stop.
Compression fundamentals
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute describes CPR as chest compressions combined with rescue breaths (or compression-only CPR for untrained bystanders).2 For professionals, high-quality CPR means adequate depth, full recoil, correct rate (100–120/min), and minimal interruption.
Rotate compressors every two minutes to prevent fatigue. Capnography, when available at your level, helps confirm airway placement and perfusion during advanced care; at basic level, focus on mechanical excellence and early AED application.
AEDs and team coordination
Defibrillation is most effective when delivered early for shockable rhythms. EMT-Basics deploy the AED, clear the patient, and resume compressions immediately after shock or rhythm analysis per device prompts.
Assign roles: compressor, airway, recorder, and scene manager. Clear communication and closed-loop orders (“compressions started,” “shock delivered, resume CPR”) improve outcomes in the chaotic first minutes of arrest care.
