Cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart is unable to maintain blood flow to the carotid artery sufficient to detect a pulse. The cardiac failure refers the loss of function of the heart. In many cases, it is a result anticipated to a serious disease. The cardiac failure often gives rise until death. The sudden cardiac failure refers to the heart's unexpected halting of the activity due to one causes that is potentially reversible. The brain death happens within some minutes if the situation is not reversed. The sudden cardiac death refers to an unexpected, heart-related death within an hour of the beginning of symptoms.

Cardiac arrest may be caused by:

• Ventricular tachycardia which is a rapid, but regular heart rhythm that, if sustained, may turn into ventricular fibrillation

• Ventricular fibrillation — a rapid, irregular heart rhythm preventing any circulation of blood (most common cause of sudden cardiac arrest)

• Choking or drowning

• Respiratory arrest

• Dramatic slowing of heart rate due to failure of its pacemaker or severe heart block

• Sudden loss of blood pressure

and many others.

The following are some of the chances of getting a disease or what we call risk factors:
Enlarged heart, heart attack, coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, adverse drug effects, trauma to the chest, and use of illicit substances such as cocaine.

I strongly recommend anyone prone to cardiac arrest to become aware of heart disease warning signs and promptly seek treatment for any that would eventually develop. For those do not have a heart condition, following the rules of primary prevention of heart disease would help you maintain such status, unless of course you would want the opposite. If you have a heart condition or may be at high risk, consulting your doctor about on how to reduce your risk of sudden cardiac arrest is very much necessary.

At this time, cardiac arrest can come at anytime, on anywhere, and with anyone. So always be on watch. Keep the heart beating, keep a healthy living!