Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest, also called sudden cardiac arrest, is a condition in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops beating, or beats in a way that fails to produce a pulse. Blood then cannot circulate properly, and reduced flow to the brain causes loss of consciousness, with brain cells beginning to die within minutes from lack of oxygen. Coma and a persistent vegetative state may follow. It is typically recognized by the absence of a central pulse and abnormal or absent breathing. It most often follows an arrhythmia such as ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia, and structural heart disease such as coronary artery disease is a common underlying condition, with age and cardiovascular disease among the main risk factors.