Any stoppage of the heartbeat.
A condition in which the heart muscle stops beating.
Sudden cessation of cardiac output and blood circulation, usually caused by ventricular fibrillation or other serious abnormality in heart ventricle function, and leading to oxygen lack, buildup of carbon dioxide, acidosis, and, if untreated, to kidney, lung, and brain damage and death. Treatment is by immediate cardiopulmonaiy resuscitation (CPR).
A sudden and immediate cessation of the heartbeat. Breathing stops, and, since blood flow to the brain is cut off, the person loses consciousness. Unless a normal heart rhythm is reestablished within 4 to 6 minutes the person will die of irreversible brain damage.
The cessation of effective pumping action of the heart, which most commonly occurs when the muscle fibers of the ventricles start to beat rapidly without pumping any blood (ventricular fibrillation) or when the heart stops beating completely (asystole). There is abrupt loss of consciousness, absence of the pulse, and breathing stops. There are many causes of cardiac arrest but the most common cause is myocardial infarction. Unless treated promptly, irreversible brain damage and death follow within minutes. Some patients may be resuscitated by massage of the heart, artificial respiration, and defibrillation.
The cessation of circulation with the disappearance of blood pressure. Cardiac arrest may be caused either by the heartbeat going from its normal rhythm to an abnormal, ineffective rhythm, or by the heart stopping its beat altogether.
Cardiac arrest occurs when the pumping action of the heart stops. This may be because the heart stops beating or because the heart muscle starts contracting too fast to pump effectively (ventricular systole; the period when the heart contracts). Coronary thrombosis is the most frequent cause of arrest. Irreversible brain damage and death result without prompt treatment. Heart massage, defibrillation and artificial respiration are customary treatment. Other causes of cardiac arrest are respiratory arrest, anaphylactic shock and electrocution. Up to one third of patients treated in hospital whose heart rhythm is restored recover to an extent that enables them to return home.
A condition characterized by the absence of detectable electrical activity in the heart, leading to the inability of the heart to contract and pump blood.
Cardiac arrest refers to the cessation of the heart’s pumping action. It occurs when the rhythmic muscular contractions of the heart cease, typically due to abnormal electrical activity. This sudden interruption leads to immediate collapse, loss of consciousness, and the absence of both pulse and breathing.
The leading cause of cardiac arrest is often attributed to a myocardial infarction, commonly known as a heart attack. However, there are other potential factors that can trigger cardiac arrest, including respiratory arrest, electrical injury, severe blood loss, hypothermia, drug overdose, and anaphylactic shock (a highly severe form of allergic reaction). These diverse factors can contribute to the occurrence of cardiac arrest.
The survival of a patient in cardiac arrest relies on the timely restoration of the heartbeat and the delivery of oxygen to the brain. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can be employed to sustain circulation until the heartbeat is reestablished. CPR plays a crucial role in maintaining blood flow and oxygenation during the critical period of cardiac arrest, increasing the chances of successful resuscitation and eventual recovery.
The diagnosis of cardiac arrest can be definitively confirmed through the monitoring of the heart’s electrical activity using an electrocardiogram (ECG). This diagnostic tool enables medical professionals to differentiate between ventricular fibrillation, characterized by rapid and disorganized contractions of individual heart muscle fibers, and asystole, which represents the complete absence of heart muscle activity. These two distinct abnormalities in heart rhythm are known to be responsible for the onset of cardiac arrest.
Ventricular fibrillation can potentially be restored to a normal rhythm through a technique called defibrillation, which involves applying an electric shock to the heart. This intervention aims to reset the heart’s electrical activity. On the other hand, asystole, being a more challenging condition to reverse, may exhibit some responsiveness to treatments such as the administration of adrenaline or the use of an electrical pacemaker. These interventions are designed to stimulate the heart and initiate a regular heartbeat in cases of asystole.
Typically, the chances of recovery are higher following a cardiac arrest caused by ventricular fibrillation compared to asystole. Ventricular fibrillation can often be successfully treated and restored to a normal heart rhythm, increasing the likelihood of recovery. In contrast, asystole poses greater challenges for revival and the prospects of recovery are generally less favorable.