Cardiac Arrest

If you’re in cardiac arrest, you will: 

• collapse suddenly

• be unconscious

• be unresponsive

• not be breathing normally

• make gasping noises

Other signs and symptoms that can occur before cardiac arrest include:

• chest discomfort

• shortness of breath

• weakness

• heart palpitations

• unexplained wheezing

• light-headedness or dizziness

If you or anyone you’re with experiences any of these signs or symptoms, call 999 or seek emergency medical help immediately.

There are several types of causes of cardiac arrest.

Heart-related causes

The main causes of cardiac arrest that are related to your heart include:

• heart attacks caused by coronary heart disease

• ventricular fibrillation or VF (a type of abnormal heart rhythm)

• cardiomyopathy (heart muscle diseases)

• congenital heart disease

• heart valve disease

• acute myocarditis (an inflammation of your heart muscle)

Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome

Sudden arrhythmic death syndrome (SADS) is a loose umbrella term for a series of cardiac syndromes that lead to sudden cardiac arrest and can cause death if untreated. 

It’s unclear what causes SADS. Unfortunately, SADS often causes sudden and unexpected death, with no warning. However, SADS can also cause the following red-flag symptoms:

• chest pain, especially during exercise

• loss of consciousness

• difficulty breathing

• dizziness

• heart palpitations or a fluttering feeling

• unexplained fainting, especially during exercise

Other causes

Causes of cardiac arrest that aren’t linked to your heart include:

• electrocution

• drug overdose

• haemorrhage (severe blood loss)

• hypoxia (low oxygen levels in your body tissues)

As cardiac arrest is a medical emergency, the symptoms and signs come on very quickly and often without warning.

This means cardiac arrest is usually diagnosed when you’re unconscious, have stopped breathing, and don’t have a pulse.

After receiving emergency medical treatment and stabilising, the cause of your cardiac arrest can be investigated to make a diagnosis.

You can reduce your risk of cardiac arrest by getting regular check-ups and being screened for heart disease. 

Leading a heart-healthy lifestyle can also help. This includes:

• getting regular exercise

• eating a balanced diet low in cholesterol and saturated fats

For SADS, early diagnosis is an important step in preventing a fatal episode. If you have a family history of SADS, a specialist may be able to determine if you also have a syndrome that could lead to unexpected death. If you do, you can take steps to prevent sudden death. These may include avoiding any medications that can trigger your symptoms, quickly treating fevers, and exercising with caution.

Cardiac arrest is a serious, life-threatening medical emergency that leads to death without treatment.

After a cardiac arrest, you may experience other health problems. These can range from short-term and mild to long-term and more severe. They include:

• arrhythmia (abnormal heartbeat)

• heart failure

• cardiogenic shock (similar to heart failure)

• personality changes

• dizziness

• cognitive and/or memory issues

• fatigue

• mental health issues

A cardiac arrest is a medical emergency which is often fatal if not treated quickly with a combination of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation. If your heart stops beating due to SADS, the same measures need to be taken.

Emergency treatment

Starting immediate CPR is vital as it keeps blood and oxygen circulating to your brain and around your body until an effective heartbeat and breathing can be restored. 

A defibrillator will then deliver a controlled electric shock to try to get your heart beating normally again. Public access defibrillators are often in locations like train stations and shopping centres – anyone can use one, and you don’t need training to do so.

Long-term treatment

After suffering a cardiac arrest, your long-term treatment will depend on the cause of the cardiac arrest. 

If the cardiac arrest is related to a heart condition, you’ll need further tests to investigate the cause, and your treatment will depend on the underlying condition.

In some cases, it may be possible to manage your condition with medication.

You may be able to have a device called an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) inserted in your chest, particularly if you’ve experienced cardiac arrest due to SADS. This can detect abnormal heart rhythm and shock your heart back to a normal rhythm.

Surgery is also an option. This could include an angioplasty (where a small balloon is inserted into obstructed blood vessels to open them up), bypass surgery (which improves blood flow to your heart), or other corrective surgeries.

At Welbeck, our cardiologists are experts in their field and are dedicated to providing world-class care to every patient.

With access to colleagues across other specialties, our consultants are also able to refer within the Welbeck ecosystem if required to ensure you receive the treatment you need as quickly as possible, all under one roof.  

All appointments, testing, treatment, and follow-up appointments take place within our state-of-the-art facilities, enabling us to deliver accurate diagnostics and advanced treatments.

Your health is important to us, so we strive to offer same-day appointments whenever possible.

Our consultants are recognised by the major health insurance companies. If you have private health insurance, your treatment at Welbeck can begin once you have obtained authorisation. We also provide care to self-paying patients. Learn more about the different payment options at Welbeck.

Get in touch today to book an appointment.