Cardiac Arrest:
Cardiac Arrest is a life-and-death emergency and every second counts. It is one of the leading causes of death among adults. Most victims of sudden cardiac arrest are middle-aged or elderly. Though the average victim is about 65-years-old, some victims are in their 30s or 40s.
Victims of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) tend to fit in certain categories, but sudden cardiac arrest is completely unpredictable. It can strike anyone, anywhere, any time. Each year, it claims the lives of an estimated 225,000 in the United States alone. Once every one or two minutes, another American succumbs suddenly, without warning.
Causes and Physiology of Cardiac Arrest
The condition is usually caused by electrical malfunction of the heart ventricular fibrillations (VF) - an ineffective quivering of the heart muscle. During cardiac arrest, the heart is unable to pump blood through the body to the brain and other vital organs. Usually, the SCA victim’s pulse disappears, then consciousness and finally the ability to breathe. Without immediate treatment the victim almost always dies.
How to React during Cardiac Arrest
The only effective treatment for cardiac arrest is an electrical shock to the heart called defibrillation. The electrical current can interrupt ventricular fibrillation (VF) and allow the heart's normal rhythm to regain control. But defibrillation is effective only if it is used soon enough, preferably less than four minutes.
How to Avoid a Cardiac Arrest
Most doctors will tell you that the best way to avoid a heart attack trigger is ensuring that the conditions that determine a heart attack are kept away.
- These would include lifestyle changes like:
- Losing weight
- Lowering LDL cholesterol
- Eating a healthy diet
- Exercise
Conditions that trigger a heart attack include atherosclerosis which is the most common cause of coronary artery disease. |
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