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Chapters

0:00 Introduction
1:09 Causes of cardiac arrest
2:35 Symptoms of cardiac arrest
2:56 Diagnosis of cardiac arrest
3:30 Treatment ofcardiac arrest



Cardiac arrest is a sudden loss of blood flow resulting from the failure of the heart to pump effectively.[11] It is a rapidly fatal medical emergency requiring immediate intervention with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) until further treatment can be provided. Cardiac arrest results in rapid loss of consciousness and can result in abnormal or absent breathing.[1][2] Some individuals may experience chest pain, shortness of breath or nausea immediately before entering cardiac arrest. Radiating pain to one arm is a common symptom, as is long term malaise and "general weakness of heart".[2] If not treated within minutes, it typically leads to death.[11]

The most common cause of cardiac arrest is coronary artery disease.[4] Less common causes include major blood loss, lack of oxygen, very low potassium, heart failure, and intense physical exercise.[4] A number of inherited disorders, including long QT syndrome, may also increase the risk.[4] The initial heart rhythm most often leading up to the condition is ventricular fibrillation.[4] The diagnosis is confirmed by finding no pulse.[1] While cardiac arrest may be caused by heart attack or heart failure, these are not the same.[11]

Prevention includes not smoking, physical activity, and maintaining a healthy weight.[5] Treatment for cardiac arrest includes immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and, if a shockable rhythm is present, defibrillation.[6] Among those who survive, targeted temperature management may improve outcomes.[12][13] An implantable cardiac defibrillator may be placed to reduce the chance of death from recurrence.[5]

In the United States, approximately 535,000 cases occur a year.[9] About 13 per 10,000 people (326,000 or 61%) experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital setting, while 209,000 (39%) occur within a hospital.[9] Cardiac arrest becomes more common with age.[3] It affects males more often than females.[3]

The percentage of people who survive out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with treatment by emergency medical services is about 8%.[7] However, fictional media in the U.S. has often portrayed the immediate survival rate of cardiac arrest to be unreasonably high. This may contribute to misinformed expectations of the resuscitative efforts from the general public with many studies showing the expected survival rate of resuscitative efforts after cardiac arrest exceeding 40-50%.[7][14] These portrayals may also contribute to a patient's or medical decision maker's desire to pursue aggressive measures. When given accurate information, it has been shown that many are less likely to choose resuscitation when critically ill.[7][15]

In the event that cardiopulmonary resuscitation is successful, this does not guarantee complete recovery as many patients surviving cardiac arrest experience an array of disability including partial paralysis, seizures, difficulty with walking, speaking, or memory, limited consciousness, or persistent vegetative state and brain death.[7][16]

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