This means blood circulating through the heart either overloads the chambers with blood or does not fill them to capacity. The chambers may become weakened or enlarged. Some people are born with heart damage. This is known as a congenital heart problem. Sudden cardiac arrest may occur in children who were born with a serious heart problem. These problems are known as primary heart rhythm abnormalities.
Early symptoms of cardiac arrest are often warning signs. Getting treatment before your heart stops could save your life. Cardiac arrest may not have symptoms before it occurs. If you do have symptoms that persist, seek prompt medical care. Medical treatment will focus on getting blood flowing back to your body. Your doctor will most likely perform a test called an electrocardiogram to identify the type of abnormal rhythm your heart is experiencing.
To treat the condition, your doctor will likely use a defibrillator to shock your heart. An electric shock can often return the heart to a normal rhythm. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR is one form of emergency treatment for cardiac arrest. Defibrillation is another. These treatments get your heart beating again once it has stopped. If you survive a cardiac arrest, your doctor may start you on one or more treatments to reduce the risk of another attack.
Cardiac arrest can be fatal. However, prompt treatment increases your odds of survival. Treatment is most effective within a few minutes of the arrest.
Your long-term outlook will depend on the reason you experienced cardiac arrest. Significant changes in blood levels of potassium and magnesium from using diuretics, for example also can cause life-threatening arrhythmias and cardiac arrest.
Electrical abnormalities — These, including Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and Long QT syndrome , may cause sudden cardiac arrest in children and young people. Blood vessel abnormalities — These rare cases occur particularly in the coronary arteries and aorta. Adrenaline released during intense physical activity can trigger sudden cardiac arrest when these abnormalities are present. Recreational drug use — This can occur in otherwise healthy people.
Last Reviewed: Jan 29, A heart attack is not the same as a cardiac arrest. They are two different types of cardiac event. Normal breathing stops and consciousness is lost. A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery becomes blocked, preventing blood flow to part of the heart muscle. During a heart attack a person remains conscious and keeps breathing.
Sometimes a heart attack can cause a cardiac arrest. This is because a person who is having a heart attack may develop a dangerous heart rhythm, which causes a cardiac arrest.
A heart attack and a cardiac arrest are both emergency situations. Call straight away. Real stories, healthy recipes and frequently-asked questions from people with heart disease, plus a whole lot more.
Edit this entry. The first line of treatment is usually cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPR , during which another person compresses the chest to increase blood flow to the organs.
CPR can temporarily treat cardiac arrest until more advanced emergency treatment is available to the person experiencing cardiac arrest. Once emergency medical service personnel arrive, they will use a machine called a defibrillator to send an electric shock to the heart to help it regain function and beat normally.
Defibrillators are used by trained first responders. Some public areas may have an automated external defibrillator AED , which is similar to a defibrillator, but an AED can detect harmful arrhythmias and deliver an electric shock to the heart.
This device is designed for nonmedical personnel, and it can be used by anyone. Once the patient is hospitalized, a doctor will run several tests to determine the cause of the cardiac arrest and treat the condition once diagnosed.
Patients may undergo surgical treatment or receive medication. Cardiac arrest can lead to death if there is no treatment within minutes. This condition is one of the largest causes of natural death in the United States. After being released from the hospital, a doctor will provide guidelines for lifestyle changes, if needed, to reduce the risk of cardiac arrest or further complications. You can reduce lifestyle factors that may increase your risk of cardiac arrest and other acquired heart diseases by:.
Learn more about how you can prevent heart disease. Our world-renowned cardiologists at Johns Hopkins provide treatment, prevention and management for all kinds of heart conditions in the Baltimore and Washington, D.
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