WATCH FOR SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS
Respiratory and/or cardiac arrest may be a progressive process with definite warning signs. As your patient
becomes more hypoxic and acidotic, manifestations become easier to recognize. The signs and symptoms of
impending respiratory and/or cardiac arrest have been organized into three categories: airway, breathing and
circulation. Follow your ABCs! You might want to add to this list examples you find in your clinical setting.
A = Airway
Airway obstruction is a
medical emergency and
may be evidenced by these
warning signs:
B = Breathing
Ventilations may increase
or decrease in rate or cease.
C = Circulation
Pulse may be increased,
decreased, irregular, or
absent.
Other
Other signs and symptoms
of an impending cardiac
arrest may include:
Warning Signs Possible Causes
• sudden cessation of speech • relaxation of the tongue
• air hunger • aspiration, vomitus, dentures
• stridor • laryngeal spasm
• sternal retraction • post-op neck edema
• use of accessory muscles • secretions
• cyanosis • anaphylaxis
• anxiety, irritability, • brochospasm (e.g., asthma, COPD)
restlessness • CNS depression
• decrease/absence of air • head trauma
movement • narcotics
• change in level of • anesthetics
consciousness • alcohol
• sedatives, tranquilizers, muscle
relaxants
• air hunger • pulmonary emboli
• apnea • asthma
• shortness of breath • chronic bronchitis
• anxiety, restlessness • CNS depression
• head trauma
• narcotics
• sedatives
• tranquilizers
• alcohol
• muscle relaxants
• spinal cord injury
• myasthenia gravis
• Guillian-Barré syndrome
• chest trauma
• decreased level of • myocardial infarction (heart attack)
consciousness • hemorrhage
• mottled, clammy, cool • post-op fluid shifts
and/or pale skin • electrolyte imbalance
• acute increased or • drug toxicity
decreased blood pressure • stroke
• electrical shock
• nausea
• vomiting
• chest pain