What differentiaties secondary apnea from primary apnea in the newborn
In primary apnea, simple stimulation reverses it and will spontaneously revert. Both primary and secondary apneas have loss in muscle tone, fall in heart rate.
Simple stimulation reverses it.
Accompanied by loss of neuromuscular tone.
Will spontaneously resume respiratory efforts.
Clinically primary and secondary apnea are indistinguishable.