EFN

A cardiac arrest is also referred to as circulatory arrest or cardiopulmonary arrest. It is the sudden cessation in the normal rhythm and circulation of blood in the heart. This causes the heart to slow or even stop beating. It is estimated that 330,000 people in the United States die each year because of cardiac arrest.

Ventricular fibrillation most commonly causes cardiac arrest. This is a condition where the lower chamber of the heart shakes rather than pumps blood. Ninety percent of adults who suffer from cardiac arrest have at least two narrowed coronary arteries. The underlying reason for cardiac arrest is coronary heart disease. Many cardiac arrests lead to death when electrical impulses in the diseased heart becomes fast, chaotic or both. This irregular rhythm in the heart causes the heart to stop beating. There are occasions that cardiac arrests result from the heart extremely slowing down, which is call bradycardia. Other reasons for cardiac arrest may include electrocution, choking and trauma, respiratory arrest and drowning. There are seldom times when cardiac arrest occurs without any known reason at all.

Cardiac arrest has to be treated right away to avoid sudden death. Unfortunately, many people who suffer from cardiac arrest are not able to get help they need fast enough. Those who do survive are said to have suffered an ‘aborted’ cardiac death. Brain death or even permanent death begins within just 4 to 6 minutes after cardiac arrest. It can be reversed if is treated quickly with an electric shock, or defibrillation, to restore the heartbeat. Survival is lower by 7 to 10 percent with each minute that passes without defibrillation and CPR.