Anesthesia Adventure 2026: Tackle Anesthetic Challenges & Emergencies with Confidence!

During cardiac arrest, there can be abrupt, irregular gasping breaths known as agonal breathing. These gasps are not true, effective breaths and do not provide adequate oxygen to the body. They can mislead responders into thinking the person is breathing, which is why it’s crucial to start CPR immediately rather than waiting to confirm normal breathing. Recognize that agonal gasps may occur in the minutes after arrest and require prompt chest compressions to maintain circulation.

For context, other abnormal breathing patterns have different causes and appearances: Cheyne-Stokes involves a cycle of breathing with periods of apnea, often seen with severe heart failure or brain injury; Kussmaul respiration is deep, labored breathing typical of metabolic acidosis; Biot (ataxic) breathing is irregular with unpredictable depth and pauses, usually from brain injury. In the setting of sudden cardiac arrest, agonal breathing is the classic sign to recognize, signaling the need for immediate CPR.