External pacing device with discomfort management

A non-transitory computer readable medium storing sequences of instructions executable by at least one processor, the sequences of instructions instructing the at least one processor to control discomfort of a patient during external pacing by an external medical device, the sequences of instructions including instructions to:

• detect a cardiac condition of the patient;
• receive, via a user interface, discomfort information descriptive of the discomfort experienced by the patient;
• determine from the discomfort information whether the patient is conscious or unconscious;
• responsive to determining from the discomfort information that the patient is unconscious, execute, via at least one therapy electrode disposed on the patient, at least one pacing routine, the at least one pacing routine being associated with the cardiac condition;
• and
• responsive to determining from the discomfort information that the patient is conscious, adjust at least one characteristic of the at least one pacing routine.