Cardiac arrest is among the most critical medical emergencies. It occurs when the heart abruptly ceases to pump blood adequately, leading the individual to collapse, lose responsiveness, and experience a cessation of normal breathing.

People frequently confuse cardiac arrest with a heart attack, but they are actually different conditions. A heart attack happens when the blood supply to a part of the heart muscle is blocked. Cardiac arrest happens due to an electrical issue that stops the heart from pumping properly. A heart attack can result in cardiac arrest; however, cardiac arrest can also happen due to a range of other causes.

Because every minute matters, recognising the warning signs and knowing what to do can save a life.

What is cardiac arrest?

Cardiac arrest means the heart has suddenly and unexpectedly stopped pumping blood to the brain and the rest of the body. Blood flow falls sharply, and the person usually loses consciousness within seconds.

It is commonly caused by a dangerous heart rhythm, also called an arrhythmia or dysrhythmia. In these rhythms, the heart muscle may quiver or beat so abnormally that it cannot circulate blood properly.

Cardiac arrest symptoms

The most dramatic sign is sudden collapse. The person is usually unresponsive and is not breathing normally. There may be no pulse or no clear sign of circulation.

In some people, there may be warning symptoms shortly beforehand. These can include chest discomfort, palpitations, severe breathlessness, dizziness, or fainting. Warning signs are not present in every case, which is why sudden collapse must always be treated seriously.

Cardiac arrest versus heart attack

A heart attack usually happens when one of the coronary arteries becomes blocked. The heart muscle is injured because the blood supply is cut off, but the heart may continue beating.

In cardiac arrest, the heartbeat itself becomes ineffective or stops. That is why the response is so urgent. Without immediate action, the brain and other organs begin to suffer damage very quickly.

Cardiac arrest causes

Dangerous ventricular arrhythmias are among the most common direct causes. These may be linked to coronary artery disease, a recent heart attack, cardiomyopathy, inherited rhythm disorders, or severe structural heart disease.

Other causes include major electrolyte disturbances, drug toxicity, severe lack of oxygen, drowning, massive trauma, or certain inflammatory conditions affecting the heart.

In younger people, inherited rhythm disorders or previously undetected structural heart disease may sometimes be involved.

What to do if someone has cardiac arrest

First, call emergency medical services immediately. Then check whether the person is responding and breathing normally. If not, begin CPR at once if you are trained or guided to do so by emergency services.

If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is on hand, utilise it at the earliest opportunity. Early defibrillation can be life-saving in shockable rhythms.

The key message is simple: do not wait to see if the person recovers. Immediate action gives the best chance of survival.

How doctors evaluate the cause

If the person survives, the next step is to find out why the arrest happened. Doctors may use an ECG, blood tests, echocardiography, coronary angiography, rhythm monitoring, and other targeted tests depending on the situation.

This evaluation helps identify whether the cause was a blocked artery, a rhythm disorder, a weak heart muscle, a congenital issue, or another trigger.

Treatment after the emergency

Treatment depends on the underlying cause. It may involve medicines, angioplasty, treatment of heart failure, management of electrolyte problems, or an implantable cardioverter defibrillator in selected patients.

Long-term prevention is often focused on controlling risk factors such as smoking, blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol, and untreated heart disease.

When to consult a doctor before an emergency happens

A medical review is important for repeated fainting, unexplained palpitations, chest pain, a strong family history of sudden cardiac death, or known heart disease with worsening symptoms.

These symptoms do not always mean cardiac arrest is coming, but they should not be ignored.

How Narayana Health can help

Narayana Health provides emergency cardiac response, cardiology and electrophysiology evaluation, advanced diagnostics, and long-term planning after serious heart events.

Fast assessment matters in emergencies, but careful follow-up matters just as much after the immediate danger has passed.