Cardiac arrest is a medical phrase that some people may struggle to comprehend. It appears to be straightforward: “cardiac” means “heart,” and “arrest” means “to stop.” When you see the word “arrest” next to a body system, it means that system has stopped working. Respiratory arrest, for example, is synonymous with “not breathing.”...CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLE>>>
To keep things simple, we’ll concentrate on abrupt cardiac arrest. The most common causes of sudden cardiac arrest are listed below. At least one example is provided for each cause.
CPR is the primary and most effective treatment for sudden cardiac arrest, regardless of the etiology. CPR is conducted as soon as possible to avoid brain tissue damage.
1. Cardiac Arrhythmia.
Arrhythmia is by far the most prevalent cause of cardiac arrest, especially sudden cardiac arrest. A cardiac arrhythmia is a problem with the electrical communication system of the heart, which is in charge of keeping the heart beating at the proper rate. This is the most probable of all the causes of cardiac arrest to actually cause the heart to stop.
The medical term for the heart arrhythmia most people are familiar with—the flat line on an electrocardiogram—is asystole. Ventricular fibrillation is the most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest, and it’s also one of the most curable if caught early.
2. Bleeding and Shock.
Shock is a difficult medical disease that can be caused by a variety of factors. To put it another way, shock is characterized by extremely low blood pressure. There won’t be a pulse or enough blood traveling to the brain to keep the victim alive if the blood pressure drops too low.
3. Electrolyte Imbalances.
Electrolytes are necessary for proper body chemistry to function. The most important electrolytes are calcium, sodium, and potassium.
To induce muscles to contract or neurons to transmit impulses, calcium and potassium must be in balance—sitting on opposite sides of cell membranes, ready to trade places. When calcium and potassium exchange locations and cause problems, sodium returns them to their proper positions for the next time.
If one, two, or all of these electrolytes are insufficient, the cardiac muscle cells cannot move, and the heart will not pump. Electrolyte abnormalities are common in those suffering from heat illness (heat exhaustion or heat stroke), kidney failure, and those taking certain drugs.
The shortage of oxygen-rich blood when the heart stops can result in death or irreversible brain damage within minutes. Time is of the essence while assisting an unconscious person who isn’t breathing.
If you see someone who is unconscious and not breathing regularly, do the following:
1. Call an ambulance or seek emergency medical assistance. Before starting CPR, call if you have immediate access to a phone.
2. Check the person’s breathing quickly. Start CPR if the person isn’t breathing regularly. Compress the person’s chest hard and fast, at a pace of 100 to 120 compressions per minute. Check the person’s airway and provide rescue breaths after every 30 compressions if you’ve been trained in CPR.
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