Which statement about sudden cardiac arrest is correct?

• A. Myoclonic jerking or seizure-like activity after collapse is always mistaken for a seizure.
• B. Agonal gasping is never mistaken for normal breathing.
• C. Immediate resuscitation is not required.
• D. Myoclonic jerking or seizure-like activity after collapse should not be mistaken for a seizure.

Answer: (D)

During sudden cardiac arrest, a person may collapse and later have myoclonic jerks or seizure‑like activity. These movements do not prove a seizure has occurred or that the person has regained consciousness. They can happen even when the heart has stopped, so you should not delay life‑saving actions because you think it’s a seizure. The correct approach is to treat the situation as cardiac arrest and begin immediate resuscitation with chest compressions (and rescue breaths if you’re trained), while calling for help.

Agonal gasping can appear as breathing, but it is not normal effective breathing. Relying on any breathing you observe can lead to delays in starting CPR, so assess for regular breathing and, if there’s any doubt, proceed with CPR.

Immediate resuscitation is required and should not be postponed, and seizure-like movements after collapse are not a definitive sign of a true seizure—these nuances support why the statement that such movements should not be mistaken for a seizure is the correct one.