Which emergency scenario would require immediate CPR and AED use?

• A. Respiratory distress without cardiac arrest
• B. Severe allergy to penicillin
• C. Cardiac arrest with no signs of life
• D. Mild syncope

Answer: (C)

When a person is in cardiac arrest, the priority is to restore blood flow to the brain and organs as quickly as possible. If someone is unresponsive, not breathing normally, and there is no pulse (no signs of life), immediate CPR is required to keep circulation going until an AED is available. The AED should be brought and used as soon as it’s ready, because it can analyze the heart rhythm and deliver a shock if the rhythm is one that can be defibrillated. This combination—start chest compressions right away and apply the AED promptly—gives the person the best chance of survival.

The other scenarios do not involve cardiac arrest. Respiratory distress with a pulse means the person is still circulating blood, so CPR isn’t indicated; prioritize airway management and breathing support. A severe allergy to penicillin is an allergic emergency, not a cardiac arrest requiring CPR or AED. Mild syncope is a temporary loss of consciousness with circulation usually restored, so CPR and AED aren’t needed unless the person progresses to cardiac arrest.