Cardiac arrest (heart stops)

Description Cardiac arrest is a...

Description

Cardiac arrest is also called sudden cardiac death (SCD). Cardiac arrest is the largest cause of natural death in the U.S. resulting in 325,000 adult deaths per year. During cardiac arrest, the heart stops pumping blood around the body. A person promptly loses consciousness. If the pumping of the heart is not restored within 4 minutes, the brain will die. Starting CPR immediately is the number one determinant of a patient surviving a cardiac arrest.

Symptoms

Just prior to cardiac arrest patients may experience light headedness, breathing problems, chest pain, and fainting. Some patients have no warning signs: they just collapse.

Tests

Common tests used for diagnosis and treatment

Workup:
Examination of the heart, pulse and blood pressure will prove that the heart has stopped pumping. Cardiac testing (primarily an EKG) will be done to determine the cause of the cardiac arrest.

Tests:
Complete blood count (CBC), Comprehensive metabolic panel (CMP), CT Scan, D-Dimer, Electrocardiogram (EKG), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), Troponin, X-ray

Other Specific Tests: echo cardiogram, coronary angiography

Specialists:
Cardiology, Pediatric Cardiology

Treatment

The collapse of heart function that leads to SCD can be treated, but therapy must begin immediately after the event for the best result. Emergency helpline should be called and then hands-only CPR should be started until help arrives.  If available an AED (Ambulatory External Defibrillator) should be used since most cases of SCD are caused by an abnormal beating of the heart called ventricular fibrillation and an external shock from an AED given as soon as possible can make the heartbeat regular again, and thereby can save a life. It is the combination of immediate CPR and AED use that gives the person the greatest chance of success.