Cardiac arrest occurs, when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood, due to a group of heart problems, but it is mainly caused by an electrical dysfunction, according to a report in the journal ForbesAnd regarding 50 percent of people who experience a heart attack had no knowledge of a heart problem or risk factor, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
Cardiac arrest is the sudden and unexpected loss of heart function, when the heart suddenly stops beating. And when this happens, blood does not flow to vital organs such as the brain, which endangers human life despite immediate medical intervention.
While cardiac arrest often occurs without warning, the presence of other signs, symptoms and conditions that might indicate the possibility of its occurrence, according to Forbes.
site draws Mayo Clinic, that sudden cardiac arrest can lead to death, if not treated immediately. It is possible to save the patient if he is provided with prompt and appropriate medical care. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, using a defibrillator or even chest compressions, can improve the chances of survival until emergency specialists arrive.
The difference between cardiac arrest and heart attack
The journal report notes that while a heart attack can cause a cardiac arrest, the two cases are different. A heart attack, medically known as a myocardial infarction, is a circulatory problem caused by a loss of blood flow to the heart. This loss of blood supply is usually caused by blocked arteries.
Meanwhile, cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating completely due to electrical problems in the heart.
Doctor Ihab Gerges confirms to Forbes that “a cardiac arrest is an electrical problem in the heart.”
Causes of heart attack
Most cases of cardiac arrest are caused by irregular heartbeats called arrhythmias, according to Forbes.
Other causes may include:
- Scarred or ischemic heart tissue. A heart attack can cause ischemia, a lack of blood flow to the heart, and a heart attack can scar tissue from the heart or lead to an enlarged heart.
- Enlarged heart muscle (cardiomyopathy). High blood pressure and heart valve disease are two conditions that can damage the heart muscle and cause it to thicken, which increases the risk of heart attack.
- electrical abnormalities. Conditions such as Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and Brugada syndrome are among the causes of cardiac arrest in children and young adults.
- vascular abnormalities. When these abnormalities are present, the release of adrenaline during bouts of intense physical activity may lead to cardiac arrest.
- Under certain conditions, medications, including heart medications, can cause an irregular heartbeat.
- Cardiac arrest is also linked to drug use.
The occurrence of cardiac arrest is also associated with the following factors:
- other heart diseases. Coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, inflammation of the heart, and heart failure increase a person’s risk of cardiac arrest.
- Age factor: Cardiac arrest is rare in individuals under the age of 30. The risks increase with age.
- Gender: Men suffer from cardiac arrest at higher rates than women.
- Breed and race. Black people, especially black women, are more likely to have a heart attack than white, Asian and Latino people, according to Forbes.
- Genetic predisposition. Some conditions that can lead to cardiac arrest may run in families.
Heart attack in young people
“One of the most common causes of sudden cardiac arrest in young people is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which is a thickening of the left ventricle,” explains Dr. Gerges. “The other cause is right ventricular dysplasia resulting from an arrhythmia,” he continues.
Sometimes, young athletes are examined to determine if they have these and other heart diseases, Gerges explains.
Injury signals
In many people, cardiac arrest occurs without warning signs. However, some may experience chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea or vomiting up to an hour before having a cardiac arrest. Loss of consciousness is the most common sign of sudden cardiac arrest, according to a Forbes report.
When should you visit the doctor?
According to the Mayo Clinic, if he has any of the following signs or symptoms, he should seek medical attention quickly:
- Feeling pain or discomfort in the chest area
- Heart palpitations
- Rapid or irregular heartbeat
- Unexplained wheezing in the chest
- shortness of breath
- Loss of consciousness or approaching loss of consciousness
- lightheadedness or dizziness;
Act in an emergency
The Mayo Clinic lists the procedures as follows:
- Call the emergency number and request emergency medical assistance.
- Perform CPR. Quickly check that the injured person is breathing. If the person is not breathing normally, begin CPR.
- press hard and quickly on the chest of the injured person; at a rate of between 100 and 120 strokes per minute.
- If you are trained to do CPR, check the person’s airway and provide rescue breaths following every 30 compressions.
- And if you’re not trained, just keep doing chest compressions. Allow the chest to rise fully between each compression.
- Continue to do this until you have a portable defibrillator or emergency personnel arrive.
