What condition is indicated when an adult patient shows no signs of breathing and has no pulse?

When an adult patient shows no signs of breathing and has no pulse, this condition is identified as cardiac arrest. During cardiac arrest, the heart stops pumping blood effectively, which leads to cessation of blood circulation and loss of normal breathing. Without immediate intervention, such as CPR and defibrillation, this situation can quickly result in death due to lack of oxygen to vital organs.

In the context of the other options: a myocardial infarction (MI) is a blockage of blood flow to the heart, which may or may not lead to cardiac arrest but does not immediately indicate that both breathing and pulse are absent. Respiratory arrest refers specifically to the cessation of breathing while there may still be a pulse, and shock is a state where the circulatory system cannot provide sufficient blood flow to the body’s tissues, which might present with a pulse but typically does not result in immediate cessation of both breathing and pulse. Thus, the indication of no breathing and no pulse directly points to cardiac arrest, highlighting the critical need for prompt lifesaving measures.