Seizures and Cardiac Arrest
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Recognizing Cardiac Arrest during Seizures
1. Resuscitation Council Guidelines
The Resuscitation Council's guidelines emphasize the importance of identifying cardiac arrest in unresponsive individuals not breathing normally.
- Bystanders and emergency medical dispatchers should maintain suspicion of cardiac arrest in patients with seizures.
- Careful assessment of breathing should be conducted in such cases.
2. Treating Unresponsive Individuals
When encountering an unresponsive individual not breathing normally, it is crucial to treat the situation as a potential cardiac arrest and initiate CPR.
3. Suspicion during Seizures
If you come across someone experiencing a seizure, always consider the possibility of cardiac arrest and verify their breathing status.
- During a seizure, the patient's breathing may pause briefly, typically resuming within 10 to 15 seconds.
- In some cases, breathing cessation may extend up to a minute.
4. Continuous Breathing Monitoring
Remain vigilant for signs of cardiac arrest during a seizure episode by continuously monitoring the patient's breathing until they recover.