Cardiac Arrest Specialists in Dwarka, Delhi

What is Cardiac Arrest?

Cardiac arrest is the sudden and complete loss of heart function, causing the heart to stop pumping blood effectively to the brain, lungs, and other organs, resulting in immediate loss of consciousness and absence of normal breathing. It is distinct from a heart attack, which involves blocked blood flow to the heart muscle itself, though a heart attack can trigger the abnormal heart rhythms that lead to cardiac arrest. Without immediate intervention through cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation, cardiac arrest is fatal within minutes, as brain damage begins within four to six minutes of the heart stopping. Survival rates depend heavily on how quickly bystander CPR and defibrillation are started, making public awareness and access to automated external defibrillators critically important.

Causes of Cardiac Arrest

Cardiac arrest most commonly results from an abnormal, chaotic heart rhythm called ventricular fibrillation, which prevents the heart from pumping blood effectively, often triggered by an acute heart attack or underlying coronary artery disease. Other causes include severe electrolyte imbalances, certain inherited heart rhythm disorders, drug overdose, severe trauma, drowning, and electrocution. Structural heart conditions such as cardiomyopathy and heart failure also significantly increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest.

Symptoms of Cardiac Arrest

sudden collapse, loss of consciousness, absence of normal breathing or only gasping breaths, no detectable pulse, chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, or dizziness sometimes occurring in the moments before collapse

Treatment & Types of Cardiac Arrest in Dwarka, Delhi

Immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation, involving chest compressions and rescue breaths, is essential to maintain some blood flow to vital organs until definitive treatment can be provided. Defibrillation, delivering an electric shock to the heart using an automated external defibrillator, is used to restore a normal heart rhythm when the underlying rhythm is shockable. Following successful resuscitation, patients require intensive care, treatment of the underlying cause such as a blocked coronary artery, and sometimes implantation of a defibrillator device to prevent future episodes.

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