Under which conditions should CPR be stopped?

Under which conditions should CPR be stopped?

• A. The patient is revived, or the coroner pronounces dead, or you are too tired to continue, or until help arrives
• B. After one minute, regardless of the outcome
• C. If the patient starts to breathe on their own
• D. If a bystander asks you to stop

Answer: (A)

The main idea being tested is when it’s appropriate to stop performing CPR. You should continue CPR until there are clear, legitimate reasons to stop, such as signs that the person is coming back to life or a professional is taking over, or you cannot continue safely. In practice, CPR is stopped if the person shows signs of recovery (they’re breathing normally and have a pulse), if a physician or coroner pronounces them dead, if you become too exhausted to perform it effectively, or if trained responders arrive and take over. This combination of criteria is why the best answer lists revival, official death pronouncement, exhaustion, and arrival of help—the situations that legitimately end CPR. Options that set a fixed time, or stop CPR just because the person begins to breathe, or because a bystander asks you to stop, aren’t appropriate on their own. A bystander’s request isn’t a medical stopping criterion, and a set time doesn’t account for whether life signs have returned or professional help is available.

The main idea being tested is when it’s appropriate to stop performing CPR. You should continue CPR until there are clear, legitimate reasons to stop, such as signs that the person is coming back to life or a professional is taking over, or you cannot continue safely.

In practice, CPR is stopped if the person shows signs of recovery (they’re breathing normally and have a pulse), if a physician or coroner pronounces them dead, if you become too exhausted to perform it effectively, or if trained responders arrive and take over. This combination of criteria is why the best answer lists revival, official death pronouncement, exhaustion, and arrival of help—the situations that legitimately end CPR.

Options that set a fixed time, or stop CPR just because the person begins to breathe, or because a bystander asks you to stop, aren’t appropriate on their own. A bystander’s request isn’t a medical stopping criterion, and a set time doesn’t account for whether life signs have returned or professional help is available.