Gasping

Gasping is slow, deep breathing, often heard as a snoring sound. It is controlled by the brainstem, the part of the brain that remains functional for a few minutes even in oxygen deprivation. It can occur in about 50% of circulatory arrests and is associated with a better prognosis. Gasps, sighs, moans and other terms used by lay people pose a challenge to themselves and to control centre dispatchers, as they can be misinterpreted as signs of life. Gasping remains one of the most common reasons why OHCA (out-of-hospital circulatory arrest) is not recognised. Early recognition of gasping is a prerequisite for early resuscitation and early defibrillation. If it is not recognised by the control centre dispatcher, this leads to a reduced survival rate.

Misinterpreting gasps as signs of life may lead emergency witnesses to place the patient on their side instead of starting resuscitation. The risk of starting resuscitation too late outweighs the risk of resuscitating a person who is not in circulatory arrest.