Signs to recognize when to discontinue CPR efforts?

Recognizing Unresponsiveness

When a person’s heart has stopped beating, they lose their ability to breathe and their body’s reflexes cease to function. Recognizing unresponsiveness is crucial to determining when to discontinue CPR efforts. A person is considered unresponsive if they do not respond to verbal commands, cough, or move when poked with a finger, or open their eyes when their name is called. If a person does not respond to these stimuli, CPR should be initiated and continued until there is no sign of circulation for 20 minutes or the patient’s chest does not rise with compressions.

Circulation Signs

CPR is continued until there are no signs of circulation. Check for circulation by looking for signs such as the patient’s mouth turning blue, their skin becoming pale or cool to the touch, or their pulse being weak or absent. If the patient’s chest does not rise with compressions, it may indicate that their airway is obstructed or their lungs are not inflating properly. Discontinue CPR efforts if there are no signs of circulation for 20 minutes or if the patient’s chest does not rise with compressions.

Patient’s Chest Rise

When performing CPR, the chest should rise with each compression. If the chest does not rise, it may indicate that the airway is obstructed or the lungs are not inflating properly. Check the patient’s airway by tilting their head back and lifting their chin. If the airway is still obstructed, try using an adjunctive device such as a bag-valve-mask (BVM) or a supraglottic airway (SGA). Discontinue CPR efforts if the patient’s chest does not rise with compressions, even with the use of an adjunctive device.