Are patients who are found deeply unconscious, without having suffered a cardiac arrest, always breathing normally?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate how often an ambulance crew reports abnormal breathing among patients who are found deeply unconscious but without having suffered a cardiac arrest.


METHODS
Patients with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) 3 (1+1+1) and without cardiac arrest were retrospectively evaluated, via ambulance records, for signs of abnormal breathing.


RESULTS
Of 45 patients who fulfilled inclusion criteria, 24 (53%) had signs of abnormal breathing, as reported by the ambulance crew.


CONCLUSIONS
Signs of abnormal breathing among comatose patients with no cardiac arrest appear to be relatively common. This therefore increases the risk of starting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in such patients, which is in accordance with the present CPR guidelines for the lay person. Whether this might do harm to such patients is not known.
Bång
Angela
A
University College of Borås, School of Health Sciences, SE-501 90 Borås, Sweden.
Gustavsson
Mikael
M
Larsson
Carina
C
Holmberg
Stig
S
Herlitz
Johan
J
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000552:Ambulances; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012119:Respiration; D014474:Unconsciousness / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*