Cardiac arrest, (also known as cardiopulmonary arrest or circulatory arrest) is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively. Medical personnel can refer to an unexpected cardiac arrest as a sudden cardiac arrest or SCA. A cardiac arrest is different from (but may be caused by) a heart attack, where blood flow to the muscle of the heart is impaired

Arrested blood circulation prevents delivery of oxygen to the body. Lack of oxygen to the brain causes loss of consciousness, which then results in abnormal or absent breathing. Brain injury is likely if cardiac arrest goes untreated for more than five minutes. For the best chance of survival and neurological recovery, immediate and decisive treatment is imperative. 

Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that, in certain situations, is potentially reversible if treated early. When unexpected cardiac arrest leads to death this is called sudden cardiac death (SCD). The treatment for cardiac arrest is cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to provide circulatory support, followed by defibrillation if a shockable rhythm is present. If a shockable rhythm is not present after CPR and other interventions, clinical death is inevitable.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cardiac_arrest

Typically by the time you can tell it's cardiac arrest it's too late to do anything about it as the heart has already ceased to function. This article will look at some of the risk factors and warning signs that can help us be more aware of the possibility of cardiac arrest. One factor that must be considered is the fact that the heart must be immediately tended to in order to save a victim of cardiac arrest.

Immediate assistance with a cardiac defibrillator would be your best bet for survival. You will find these primarily on ambulances and in hospitals although it is possible to purchase a portable one for personal use as well. These can be essential in case of cardiac arrest, as in many cases, death occurs while people are waiting for an ambulance to arrive, or en route to the hospital. Purchasing a defibrillator to keep nearby can save minutes your victim may not otherwise have as you wait for professional help to arrive.

When the heart stops the victim can die quickly if the heart does not get help to restart immediately which is where this device comes in most handy. Sometimes a person who is about to go into cardiac arrest will have dizziness or nausea as a symptom before this happens. In a person at risk for heart disease, these symptoms which can be caused by other issues as well, are a definite cause for concern. Since heart problems can also occur in people considered healthy, including young people, all possible symptoms should be taken seriously. Some people have reported feeling lightheaded when having a heart attack. Heart attacks are not the same as cardiac arrest, as in most cases the heart doesn't actually stop beating when someone has a heart attack. However, heart attacks and various other heart conditions can lead to cardiac arrest which is why it's so important to treat any heart related symptoms immediately.

Talk to your doctor about any concerns you have about cardiac arrest and to get ideas on how to prevent it. There may be lifestyle changes that you can make or they may even suggest getting an internal defibrillator put into your chest. An external defibrillator, which is used to restart the heart after cardiac arrest, can be purchased as well. Used mostly by emergency technicians, these machines are also available privately. But before you purchase any machinery, talk to your doctor about your risk factors for cardiac arrest and what can be done to prevent it. In summary, cardiac arrest is an extremely dangerous medical event and any warning signs should be considered a reason to get emergency help right away. While the best way to prevent it is to live as healthy a lifestyle as possible, it isn't always possible to predict when cardiac arrest might happen. So watch for the warning signs discussed above.

Cardiac arrest often occurs suddenly and without warning. You've probably thought about cardiac arrest and heart attacks in the same moment, they are not the same thing. For this reason cardiac arrest requires immediate medical attention or ends in death in just minutes. See below for some of the signs of cardiac arrest.

Chest pain is one of the most common symptoms of any type of heart problem, including cardiac arrest. Heart attacks are typically associated with chest pain which can lead to cardiac arrest and death. Chest pain can be caused by a number of other factors too like indigestion or heartburn so you need to pay attention to these symptoms. Cardiac arrest does not always present with any symptom or sign but rather suddenly.

In most cases there are no signs of cardiac arrest before the victim becomes unconscious. Because you can lose consciousness for a variety of reasons it is important to consider cardiac arrest immediately. When this occurs, there is a lack of a pulse and CPR or the use of a defibrillator must be applied if the person's life is to be saved.

There is not usually enough time to wait for help to arrive although an ambulance must be called. Because it can be a sign of cardiac arrest it's important to consider all loss of consciousness as life threatening.

If you pay close attention to the details of this article you can lessen the likelihood of this silent killer happening to you. Getting regular checkups is important. Probably the most undiagnosed and still most important risk factor of cardiac arrest is coronary artery disease which isn't often diagnosed early enough to save your life. Even though doctors can detect it with many types of tests the major symptom of CAD is high cholesterol. If you are diagnosed with high cholesterol or CAD there is a lot you can do to reduce your chances of cardiac arrest. The majority of CAD sufferers don't ever know it.

Even with the medical advances of recent years, cardiac arrest remains a very dangerous, and often fatal, threat. It's important to remember that cardiac arrest can happen to anyone even without obvious signs and risks. A heart that is no longer beating is the one sure sign of cardiac arrest - this is why stimulation, to get the heart beating again, is needed immediately in these situations. The signs and symptoms above can only sometimes help you predict when cardiac arrest may happen.

How To Recognize The Signs Of Cardiac Arrest

The dangerous thing about Cardiac Arrest is that when signs of it are obvious, it's often too late to help the victim, as their heart has already stopped working. Here in this article you will see some of the risk factors as well as warning signs that a Cardiac Arrest may be on the horizon. The most important factor when it comes to Cardiac Arrest is giving immediate assistance to get the heart working again.

The most efficient response to signs of Cardiac Arrest is to apply immediate aid with a defibrillator. These are available on the market today as well as found in hospitals and emergency vehicles. With the statistics proving that most Cardiac Arrest victims will die before the ambulance arrives it makes sense that a portable unit is essential. While you are waiting for professional help to arrive it can be lifesaving to have a defibrillator nearby.

When the heart stops the victim can die quickly if the heart does not get help to restart immediately which is where this device comes in most handy. In some cases, people experience dizziness or nausea before going into Cardiac Arrest. In a person at risk for heart disease, these symptoms which can be caused by other issues as well, are a definite cause for concern. Heart problems can strike people who appear healthy and young people, too, so any symptoms need to be taken seriously. Sometimes a person feels lightheaded while they are having a heart attack. Heart attacks are different from cardiac arrest in that in most cases the heart doesn't stop beating. It's important to treat any heart related symptoms immediately, however, as heart attacks and other heart conditions can lead to Cardiac Arrest
.

Cardiac arrest can occur for a variety of reasons, but it's often associated with an electrical problem in the heart such as ventricular fibrillation. Your doctor will be happy to offer tips for lowering your risk factors for cardiac arrest.

One such risk factor is irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia. You will find that there are medications you can take to protect your heart in this case. Lifestyle changes and an improved diet can be quite helpful. Determining your risk factors can be done by visiting with a cardiologist.

The signs may be difficult to pinpoint but heart disease is a greater risk factor. Reduce the likelihood of Cardiac Arrest by talking to your doctor today.