Every year in the United States, more than 350,000 people experience a sudden cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest is when the heart activity suddenly and unexpectedly halts. When someone experiences a sudden cardiac arrest, they suddenly collapse, experience difficulty in breathing, and struggle to breathe or stop breathing. They also lose their consciousness and have no pulse at all. Nine out of 10 individuals who often experience a cardiac arrest outside the hospital die within minutes. Every minute of delay could lead to a patient’s chances of survival by 7-10 percent. Therefore, that is why it is essential to know some important things about sudden cardiac arrest to help with timely treatment and minimize the risks.
In this blog post, we will throw light on what a cardiac arrest is and what are some of the important things one must be aware of. To create this post, the insights have been taken from Dr. Sujay Shad, who is considered the best cardiac surgeon in India and practices at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital. Let’s start by discussing what cardiac arrest is.
What is a Cardiac Arrest?
When the heart stops pumping blood suddenly, an electrical issue in the heart can lead to a sudden cardiac arrest. Within ten minutes, a sudden cardiac arrest will result in rapid death if it is not appropriately and promptly treated. The signs of a cardiac arrest are almost immediate. These include no breathing, loss of consciousness, no pulse, and sudden collapse. Other signs and symptoms that might occur before a sudden cardiac arrest include chest pain, shortness of breath, weakness, vomiting, dizziness, etc. It requires urgent treatment to make sure the blood flow around the body is restored, and the heart starts beating again.
Following are Some of the Important Facts About Cardiac Arrests
1. A Sudden Cardiac Arrest is Different From a Heart Attack
Many individuals believe that heart attacks and cardiac arrest are the same thing. However, they are two completely different heart conditions. A heart attack refers to a blockage in the coronary arteries, which disrupts the blood flow. A sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical issue, instead of obstruction in its blood supply, in which the heart suddenly collapses, and the pulse completely stops. It is essential to understand the difference between the two so that the right treatment is initiated.
2. The Lifestyle Determines the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Arrest
Not many individuals are aware that the risk factors of sudden cardiac arrest develop due to a sedentary lifestyle. The risk factors for sudden cardiac arrest include misuse of alcohol, increased cholesterol, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and obesity. It is therefore advised to have a healthy lifestyle and engage in physical activities throughout the day. Maintaining a healthy weight and routinely checking blood, sugar, and cholesterol levels are essential. Simultaneously, it is important to minimize alcohol and tobacco usage as they increase the likelihood of sudden cardiac arrest.
For more tips on heart health, seek the help of a heart doctor. To do this, one can schedule an appointment with Dr. Sujay Shad, a famous cardiac surgeon in Delhi who practices at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.
3. Family History
An individual who has a family history of heart ailments is often at a high risk of having sudden cardiac arrest. Besides that, if a person has a family history of heart conditions, the risk of sudden cardiac arrest doubles, and one must take extra care. Therefore, one must get into the habit of routine checkups to ensure the problem gets detected at an initial stage. This is because timely intervention plays a vital role in not only minimizing the risk factors but it helps in giving a new lease of life to the patient.
5. The Emergency Response Time for a Cardiac Arrest is Around 6-12 Minutes
When it comes to sudden cardiac arrest, a minute is fine, but they could simply die within the next minute. Although it is vital to call an emergency number, an average response tends to be around 6-12 minutes. Hence, everyone must be trained in CPR.
6. Fainting Can Be Fatal
Fainting is the first sign of a sudden cardiac arrest, which is often ignored by a majority of individuals. In case of a sudden cardiac arrest, the sudden loss of consciousness often happens when the heart stops beating abruptly. Before fainting, many people often experience a racing heart or dizziness. Prior to a cardiac arrest, some people could also experience pain in the chest, shortness of breath, and vomiting. Therefore, it is best not to ignore loss of consciousness and seek the help of a cardiac surgeon as soon as possible.
Conclusion
We hope through this post, you have understood what a cardiac arrest is and what are the vital things you should be aware of about it. If someone faces sudden loss of consciousness or dizziness, they should not ignore them and seek the help of a cardiac doctor right away.
One can consult Dr. Sujay Shad, a leading heart surgery specialist in Delhi at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital who specializes in performing a wide range of heart procedures such as heart transplants, HOCM, bypass surgery, and many more at the hospital.
To learn more about these procedures or to know how much heart surgery cost in Delhi, pay a visit to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital today.
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