Which sign indicates someone is suffering from cardiac arrest?

• A. The person is coughing loudly.
• B. The person is talking normally.
• C. The person has a strong pulse.
• D. The person is unresponsive and not breathing.

Answer: (D)

When someone experiences cardiac arrest, the heart stops pumping effectively, so the person becomes unresponsive and stops breathing normally. That combination—no response and no normal breathing—is the clear sign you must act on right away. If someone is coughing loudly, they’re still able to breathe and respond; if they’re talking normally, they’re conscious and breathing; a strong pulse means the heart is still circulating blood. None of those indicate cardiac arrest. In the urgent situation where someone is unresponsive and not breathing, call for help immediately and start CPR if you’re trained.