Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Sara Kaafarani and Jessica Isaacs
What is Cardiac Arrest?
Sudden cardiac arrest is the sudden, unexpected loss of heart function, breathing and consciousness due to an arrhythmia that causes the heart to stop beating . The electrical disturbance in your heart disrupts its pumping action, stopping blood flow to the rest of your body, causing cell death.
What are the Symptoms?
- Sudden Collapse
- no pulse
- no breathing
- loss of consciousness
Some symptoms may precede Sudden Cardiac Arrest such as,
- fatigue
- fainting,
- blackouts
- dizziness,
- chest pain
- shortness of breath
- weakness, palpitations, or vomiting
How is it Diagnosed?
Doctors use several test to help detect factors that put people at risk for SCA like an EKG, an echo, an MRI, or a blood test. Doctors can rarely diagnose SCA with a medical test as its happening and often diagnose it after its happened by ruling out other causes for the patients collapse.
Chances of Survival?
ICD
Implantable Defibrillator
What Does it Look Like?
Treatment
AED, are specialized defibrillators that untrained bystanders can use. These portable devices can be found in public places. Treatment in hospitals include will get a device called ICD which is surgically placed under the skin and gives electric shocks to control arrhythmias.
Prognosis?
When the heart stops, the lack of oxygenated blood can cause brain damage in only a few minutes. Death or permanent brain damage can occur within four to six minutes, and without medical attention the person will die, this is less likely if they have early defibrillation, returning the heart's rhythm back to normal.
Who is Most Likely to Suffer From SCA?
Your risk increases
- as you age
- men are more likely to suffer from Cardiac Arrest than women
- studies show African Americans, especially with underlying conditions are vulnerable
- drug and alcohol abuse
- a personal history or family history of having, or being prone to arrhythmias
- If you have a heart attack or heart failure