Overview

Cardiac arrest is a sudden and dangerous condition in which the heart stops pumping blood properly. When this happens, blood stops flowing to the brain and other important organs almost right away, which can make you lose consciousness in just a few seconds. It's important to know the difference between a heart attack and cardiac arrest. A heart attack happens when blood flow is blocked, while cardiac arrest usually happens when the heart's electrical system malfunctions and throws off its rhythm.

Symptoms
There are usually no signs that a person is about to suffer from a cardiac arrest. The most obvious signs are passing out, suddenly falling, and not breathing normally. Some people may have warning signs right before the event, such as chest pain, shortness of breath, dizziness, or a fast or irregular heartbeat. But in many cases, it happens suddenly and without clear signs, so it's important to recognize it and respond quickly.

Causes
A major change in the heart's rhythm, especially one that makes it hard for the heart to pump blood, is the most common reason for cardiac arrest. Coronary artery disease, previous heart attacks, or cardiomyopathy are some of the heart problems that are often linked to this. Some medications, severe infections, or inherited conditions that affect heart rhythm can also cause this.

Diagnosis
Cardiac arrest is diagnosed right away based on clinical signs like not responding, not breathing, and not having a pulse. After the patient is stable, additional tests, such as ECGs, blood tests, and imaging, are performed to determine the underlying cause. Finding out what caused it is important to stop it from happening again.

Treatment
Treatment needs to start right away. To keep blood flowing to important organs, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is done. A defibrillator delivers an electric shock to the heart to restore a normal rhythm. Advanced life support measures, such as medications and airway support, are implemented at the hospital. After recovery, treatment focuses on managing the underlying cause and may include medications or devices, such as an implantable defibrillator. Getting help early greatly increases the chances of survival and recovery.