Sudden cardiac arrest

With the right, immediate treatment, it’s possible to survive a sudden cardiac arrest. But like with many serious heart conditions, the best course is to prevent it from happening at all and avoid the risk factors that could stop your heart. Whether you need care after a sudden cardiac arrest or for conditions that can cause it, we’re here to bring hope and help with the most advanced expertise, diagnostics, and treatment options.

What is cardiac arrest?

Sudden cardiac arrest happens when your heart abruptly stops beating and blood stops flowing to the brain and other organs. You stop breathing and lose consciousness. If not treated within minutes, it can lead to death.

Immediate action from others can improve your chance of survival until emergency personnel arrive. Usually, it’s an electrical disturbance in your heart that causes it to stop pumping. Using a defibrillator (a device that sends an electric shock to the heart and restores a normal rhythm), performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or even giving compressions to the chest can help.

Is cardiac arrest a heart attack?

Sudden cardiac arrest is different than a heart attack, which is when blood flow to the heart becomes blocked. However, sometimes a heart attack triggers an electrical disturbance in the heart which then causes sudden cardiac arrest.

Sudden cardiac arrest signs & symptoms

As described in the name, a sudden cardiac arrest happens suddenly – and often with no warning. The symptoms are immediate and severe, and include collapse, no pulse or breathing, and loss of consciousness. If you see someone who's unconscious and not breathing, call 911 immediately, and then use a defibrillator if available or begin CPR or chest compressions until emergency help arrives.

Sometimes, there are warning signs up to an hour before sudden cardiac arrest. Call 911 immediately if you or someone you know is experiencing:

• Chest pain or discomfort
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness, fainting or feeling dizzy or light-headed
• Racing heartbeat or palpitations
• Nausea or vomiting

Sudden cardiac arrest causes & risk factors

Any heart condition can cause sudden cardiac arrest, but the most common cause is an irregular heart rhythm, called arrhythmia.

Doctors also know that other heart conditions and factors can contribute to the risk of having a sudden cardiac arrest. Consistently ranked by U.S. News & World Report as one of the top programs in the country, our specialists can develop a care plan to help you effectively manage any condition and risk factor – and ensure your best heart health.

Heart conditions that can lead to sudden cardiac arrest

• Arrhythmia, especially ventricular arrhythmia or bradycardia (slow heartbeat)
• Heart attack, when blood flow to the heart becomes blocked
• Congenital heart disease or disorder like long QT syndrome, an abnormality in the heart rhythm
• Coronary artery disease, in which plaque builds up in the coronary arteries
• Heart failure, where the heart doesn’t pump blood the way it should
• Heart valve disease, in which one or more of the four heart valves don’t open and close the way they should
• Cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart

Risk factors linked to sudden cardiac arrest

• Age
• Family history of heart problems
• Drug and alcohol abuse
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Obesity
• Diabetes or chronic kidney disease
• Obstructive sleep apnea

If you have any of these conditions or risk factors, talk to your doctor right away. They may refer you to one of our cardiologists or cardiac electrophysiologists – specialists who treat the heart’s electrical system.

Sudden cardiac arrest diagnosis

After a sudden cardiac arrest, you’ll likely be admitted to a hospital for testing. Our world-renowned specialists will find what caused it and treat the underlying condition, using the most advanced tools and technologies available.

To find the underlying cause – or help you manage another heart condition or risk factor that could lead to cardiac arrest, your doctor may order:

• Electrocardiogram (EKG) to check your heart’s electrical activity
• Lab tests to check your blood for the level of potassium, magnesium and other substances that can affect heart function or indicate a recent heart attack or injury
• Radiographic imaging, such as a chest X-ray and MRI
• Echocardiogram, a heart ultrasound
• Nuclear cardiology imaging, which uses small amounts of radioactive material to create images of how your heart is pumping and to check blood flow
• Cardiac catheterization, where we thread a catheter through a blood vessel to your heart to see how your heart is working and if there are any blockages

Find out more about our heart and vascular testing and diagnosis.

Sudden cardiac arrest treatment

If the sudden cardiac arrest was caused by an arrhythmia, your doctor may suggest an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). This small device is placed under your skin near your heart. When the heart develops an irregular rhythm, the ICD gives your heart an electrical pulse to restore a normal heartbeat.

If the cause of your sudden cardiac arrest was another heart condition or due to risk factors, our team of experts will work with you on a treatment plan to improve your heart health. At Aurora, we have some of the most highly trained and experienced heart specialists in the country and can treat even the most complex conditions. Together, we’ll help you live a healthy, active life.

Are you at risk for heart disease?

Knowing your risk factors of heart disease – the leading cause of death in the U.S. – can help you lower your chances of developing it. Our heart health quiz estimates your risk, determines which of your risk factors are controllable, and gives you an idea what to do next based on your results.

Take the heart health quiz