What is a cardiac arrest?

Our heart is one of the most vital organs in our body that performs pumping and circulating oxygenated blood across the body. Cardiac arrest is a condition when the heart suddenly stops beating.

Cardiac arrest usually occurs due to an electrical disruption in the heart, resulting in irregular heartbeats. The heart’s pumping operation is hampered, and blood supply through the body is halted.

Cardiac arrest patients collapse unexpectedly, are unable to breathe normally. If immediate care is not provided, a person will lose consciousness and lose their lives within minutes. Awareness about cardiac arrest is extremely important as there is only a 3-5 minutes window to save the patient.

How Is Sudden Cardiac Arrest Different from a Heart Attack?

Sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack (myocardial infarction), but it can happen during one. A heart attack occurs when one or more of the heart’s arteries become blocked, preventing the heart from receiving enough oxygen-rich blood. The heart is weakened when oxygen in the blood cannot enter the heart muscle.

Sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack (myocardial infarction), but it can happen during one. A heart attack occurs when either heart’s arteries become blocked, restricting the heart from receiving enough oxygen-rich blood. The heart is weakened when oxygen in the blood cannot enter the cardiac muscles.

On the other hand, sudden cardiac arrest happens when the electrical system fails and the heart malfunctions by beating at a dangerously high rate. Ventricular fibrillation occurs when the ventricles flutter or quiver, and blood is not supplied to the body. The biggest problem in the first few minutes is that blood supply to the brain will be severely limited, causing a person to lose consciousness and consequently might even lead to death.

What is the cause of sudden cardiac arrest?

A majority of sudden cardiac arrest episodes are triggered by malfunctions like ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia. Bradycardia( Extreme slowing of the heart’s rhythm) can also cause cardiac arrest in a few people. Life-threatening arrhythmias are irregular heartbeats that can result in cardiac arrest. If the lower chamber of the heart which pumps the blood for circulation is not treated, the heart becomes unable to pump blood, resulting in death within minutes.

Cardiac arrests are a result of malfunctioning of an electrical system of an unhealthy heart. Some other causes of cardiac arrests also include:

• Cardiomyopathy (thickened heart muscle)
• Heart Medications
• Scarring of the heart tissue
• Blood vessel abnormalities
• Recreational drug use
• Electrical abnormalities

Cardiac arrest can be caused by heart muscle damage due to heart valve disease, high blood pressure, or other factors. You may be more susceptible to sudden cardiac arrest if your heart muscle is unhealthy, particularly if you already have heart failure.

• Heart Medications

Some of the routine heart medications can result in arrhythmias, further leading to sudden cardiac arrest. In some cases, anti-arrhythmic drugs used to treat arrhythmias can also cause ventricular arrhythmias, even at routine doses. This is often referred to as “proarrhythmic” effect. Significant increases in potassium and magnesium levels in the blood (owing to diuretics) can also result in cardiac arrests and fatal arrhythmias.

• Scarring of the heart tissue

Cardiac arrests can also be a consequence of a previous heart attack. A scarred or swollen heart, regardless of the cause, is more likely to experience life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias. Cardiac arrests are quite likely to happen to an atherosclerotic heart disease patient in the first six months following a heart attack.

• Blood vessel abnormalities

Congenital blood vessel defects, especially in the aorta or coronary arteries, may cause cardiac arrest. Where such anomalies are present, the adrenaline produced during vigorous physical exercise often acts as a cause for a sudden cardiac arrest.

• Recreational drug use

Healthy people suffer from cardiac arrest caused by drugs. Certain recreational drugs have a profound negative impact on the cardiovascular system. Use of drugs escalates an individual’s risk of myocardial ischemia, leading to a heart attack. Long-term misuse of psychostimulants can also result in heart muscle spasms, which can ultimately lead to artery tears, damaging the heart’s health in the long run.

• Electrical abnormalities:

In children and young adults, electrical disturbances such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and Long QT syndrome may cause sudden cardiac arrest.

What are the symptoms of cardiac arrest?

Some of the symptoms that are imminent to cardiac arrest include:

• Chest discomfort
• Fast-beating, fluttering, or pounding heart (palpitations)
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness
• loss of consciousness
• no pulse
• Irregular heartbeats

If someone is in a cardiac arrest, you can call for immediate emergency care if they are experiencing the following symptoms :

• Sudden collapse
• Unconsciousness
• Vomiting
• Heart palpitations
• No breathing
• No pulse

What Should I Do if I Witness Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

If you see someone having a heart attack, call an ambulance or the doctor right away. You can also start performing Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) till the aid arrives as if performed correctly. It can save the person’s life by keeping blood and oxygen flowing within the body.

Who is at risk for cardiac arrest?

Cardiac arrests are more common in people aged 60 and up, and it is important to look out for such risk factors that might lead to a sudden cardiac arrest. Issues with your heart’s electrical system and primary heart rhythm abnormalities are primary risk indications. Some of the risk factors contributing to sudden cardiac arrest are:

• Suffered previously from a heart attack and have a large part of the heart damaged
• Coronary artery disease
• Ejection fraction
• Family history of sudden cardiac arrest
• Significant changes in blood levels of potassium and magnesium
• History of syncope

Several other risk factors for a sudden cardiac arrest also include:

• high blood pressure
• sedentary lifestyle
• Drug abuse
• obesity
• smoking
• Stress

It is recommended to regularly visit the doctor to manage and reduce any potential heart disease problem.

What is the treatment for sudden cardiac arrest?

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is necessary as an immediate treatment for treating sudden cardiac arrest. Defibrillation is another technique for treating cardiac arrests. An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is a device that must be kept under the chest and can automatically detect a fast pulse and administer shock or alternative therapy to stop it.

After you’ve recovered from cardiac arrest, your doctor can perform a series of diagnostic and imaging tests on you. Antiarrhythmic medications can be prescribed for long-term treatment of arrhythmias. Beta blockers, ACE inhibitors and  calcium channel blockers may also be recommended.

To fix and remove any blockages in the heart, surgeries such as coronary angioplasty, bypass surgery, or Corrective Heart Surgery might also have to be performed based on the condition of your heart.

How can you prevent a Cardiac Arrest?

There are some lifestyle changes you can make to reduce your risk of sudden cardiac arrest. The following are examples of lifestyle changes:

• Manage your cholesterol levels
• Exercise regularly
• Quit smoking
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Manage hypertension
• Eat a healthy diet
• Keep your blood sugar levels under control
• Manage stress
• Get proper and adequate sleep
• Limit the consumption of alcohol

Cardiac arrest is a life-threatening medical emergency. It can, however, be treated with the right treatment and a balanced lifestyle. To prevent complications and successfully treat other health problems, see a doctor on a regular basis.