SUDDEN CARDIAC ARREST (SCA)
Sudden cardiac arrest is a sudden loss of heart function, breathing, and consciousness.
- Sudden cardiac arrest happens without warning, a person may appear fine one minute and collapse the next.
- Sudden cardiac arrest is different from a heart attack, where the blood supply to the heart is reduced or blocked but the heart keeps beating.
- In sudden cardiac arrest, the electrical system in the heart is disturbed. This disturbance disrupts the heart’s pumping action, stopping blood flow to the body.
- Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that can lead to death if left untreated.
- Sudden cardiac death is a sudden, unexpected death caused by sudden cardiac arrest.
- Sudden cardiac death is the leading cause of natural death in the United States, causing about 325,000 adults death per year.
- Sudden cardiac death is more prevalent in adults in their mid-30s to mid-40s but is rare in children.
CAUSES
Sudden cardiac arrest is caused by problems with the hearts electrical system. This electrical system controls the rate and rhythm of the heartbeat. This malfunction may cause the heart to beat too fast, irregularly or too slowly. Often, these malfunctions are brief and harmless, but some type can result in sudden cardiac arrest.
Certain heart conditions that can result in sudden cardiac arrest may include:
- Heart attack
- Congenital heart condition
- Enlarged heart
- Coronary artery disease
- Electrical problems in the heart
- Valvular heart disease
In some cases, sudden cardiac arrest can happen in people with no known history of heart disease.
Risk factors that may increase your risk of getting the condition may include:
- Smoking
- A family history of coronary heart disease
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- A sedentary lifestyle
- High blood pressure
- High blood cholesterol
- A previous heart attack
- Age
- Obstructive sleep apnea
- Chronic kidney disease
- Being male
- Nutritional imbalance, such as low potassium or magnesium levels.
- Drug abuse
- Physical stress such as trauma
SYMPTOMS
- Unexplained shortness of breath
- loss of consciousness
- sudden collapse
- dizziness
- palpitations
- weakness
- chest discomfort
- no pulse
In some cases, sudden cardiac arrest occurs without any prior symptoms.
DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
To make a diagnosis, the doctor will carry out tests such as:
Electrocardiogram to measure the electrical activity of your heart.
Blood tests to check the level of hormones and certain chemicals that can affect the ability of the heart to function.
Imaging tests such as
- Chest X-ray to check the size of your heart and blood vessel
- Echocardiogram to produce an image of your heart
- A nuclear scan to help identify blood flow problems to your heart
- Angiogram
TREATMENT
Treatment option may include
- Immediate CPR.
- Working to stabilize your condition and treat a possible heart condition at the emergency room.
After recovery, the doctor will discuss other preventive treatment option that may reduce the risk of another sudden cardiac arrest. Treatment may include:
- Medications such as ACE inhibitors, calcium-channel blockers, beta-blockers, and other various anti-arrhythmic drugs.
- Implantable cardioverter- defibrillator that detects and then corrects a fast heart rate
- Coronary bypass surgery
- Coronary angioplasty, a procedure that open blocked arteries to allow blood flow to move freely to the heart.
Both coronary bypass surgery and coronary angioplasty are used on patient with coronary artery disease.
- Corrective heart surgery for people with a congenital heart deformity
- Lifestyle changes such as smoking cessation, losing weight, following a heart-healthy diet, managing diabetes and other conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.