Sudden cardiac death, also known as cardiac arrest, is an unexpected death that occurs when the heart stops working. It is the biggest cause of death in the world today, with more than half of all deaths related to heart disease ending in cardiac arrest. After cardiac arrest, circulation stops and there are four to six minutes before brain death and death occur. With every passing minute, the chances of survival decrease by 7-10 percent.
However, heart attack and sudden cardiac arrest are completely different from each other. These terms are often used interchangeably, despite the fact that they are not the same. What exactly happens during a heart attack and cardiac arrest?
Difference Between Heart Attack and Sudden Cardiac Arrest
What is a Heart Attack?
Our heart needs oxygenated blood to function which is provided to the heart through the coronary arteries. “Heart attacks occur when these arteries become blocked and are therefore unable to supply blood to the heart. To limit the extent of permanent damage to the heart muscle, these blockages need to be addressed immediately. ,” says Dr. Rajesh TR, Consultant Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon, Cauvery Hospital, Bangalore.
What is sudden cardiac arrest?
In cardiac arrest the heart stops beating. The blood pressure drops and the blood supply to all organs including the brain is affected. Without blood flow to the brain, the person will lose consciousness. Death can occur immediately unless emergency treatment is initiated. The cause of sudden cardiac arrest may or may not be related to the heart.
What are the causes of sudden cardiac arrest?
The most common cause is an abnormal heart rhythm. The most common is called ventricular fibrillation. Normally, electrical impulses are transmitted through the heart in an orderly manner, which initiates a gradual contraction of the chambers of the heart so that the blood is effectively pumped to all the organs of the body. In ventricular fibrillation—also known by doctors as VF—multiple impulses are generated and transmitted through the heart in a rapid, random, and arbitrary manner. This leads to ineffective contraction of the heart and a drop in blood pressure.
“Coronary artery disease can cause sudden cardiac arrest, especially if the block develops in the proximal segments of the main coronary arteries. A heart attack is caused by coronary artery disease. Although they are both different, there is a common link between them. A heart attack patient can unfortunately suffer cardiac arrest on the way to the hospital. Valvular heart diseases such as aortic stenosis can cause sudden cardiac arrest,” says Dr Rajesh TR.
Sudden cardiac arrest and Indian!
Unfortunately, Indians are at an increased risk of falling prey to heart diseases and this number has been on the rise over the past few years. According to the World Health Organisation’s census, about 4280 Indians out of every lakh die due to cardiac arrest.
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Management of Sudden Cardiac Arrest – Basic Life Support.
The American Heart Association has simplified the emergency management of sudden cardiac arrest. This training can now be taught easily and effectively and is easy enough to emulate, even for someone with no medical background. This training is called Basic Life Support or BLS for short. BLS is very simple and everyone should be trained to do it. Using the techniques of BLS, a trained person can keep alive a patient who has sudden cardiac arrest until medical help arrives.
BLS phases in a nutshell:
The most common cause is sudden cardiac arrest when a person collapses. The first step is to make sure the environment is safe for both the victim and the BLS provider. If not, move the victim to a safe place.
call for medical help
Check breathing and pulse. Look at the chest for movement, check for pulse in the neck. Shouldn’t take more than 10 seconds.
If neither is present, begin chest compressions. The ratio of chest compressions to breaths should be 30:2, ie two breaths for every 30 chest compressions. A “hands-only CPR” protocol is also recommended for lay people, especially during current COVID times, in which only chest compressions without breaths are recommended. It also proves to be very effective.
BLS keeps the victim alive until medical help arrives.
Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency and the condition is very fatal if not treated on time. A simple yet effective solution that even laymen can use is the BLS. Everyone should be trained in BLS and it is easy to learn.
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