During a cardiac arrest, what is the priority in patient assessment?

In the context of a cardiac arrest, the priority in patient assessment involves determining the signs of circulation. This step is crucial because, during cardiac arrest, the heart is not effectively pumping blood to the body, which leads to the cessation of perfusion. The absence of circulation means that the patient is critically at risk of irreversible damage within minutes due to lack of oxygenated blood flow to vital organs.

Recognizing signs of circulation is fundamental as it informs the rescuer whether advanced life support efforts, including cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation, need to be initiated immediately. If there are no signs of circulation, initiating CPR at the earliest opportunity can help maintain some level of perfusion to the brain and other essential organs until emergency services arrive or advanced interventions can be applied.

While assessing breathing patterns and responsiveness are important in a broader assessment of a patient’s condition, the absence of circulation takes precedence in cases of suspected cardiac arrest. Similarly, establishing a patient's medical history can provide valuable contextual information but is secondary to performing immediate life-saving interventions when a patient is without signs of circulation.