Cardiac Arrest

Definition 1

The sudden cessation of cardiac activity in an individual who becomes unresponsive, without normal breathing and no signs of circulation. Cardiac arrest may be reversed by CPR, and/or defibrillation, cardioversion or cardiac pacing. (NCI Thesaurus)

Definition 2

A disorder characterized by cessation of the pumping function of the heart. (NCI Thesaurus/CTCAE)

Definition 3

Cardiac arrest is the non-fatal, sudden cessation of cardiac activity so that the victim subject/patient becomes unresponsive, with no normal breathing and no signs of circulation. Cardiac arrest should be used to signify an event as described above that is reversed, usually by CPR, and/or defibrillation or cardioversion, or cardiac pacing. (NCI Thesaurus/CDISC)

Definition 4

Sudden cessation of the pumping function of the heart, with disappearance of arterial blood pressure, connoting either ventricular fibrillation or ventricular standstill. (Food and Drug Administration)

More information

The heart has an internal electrical system that controls the rhythm of the heartbeat. Problems can cause abnormal heart rhythms, called arrhythmias. There are many types of arrhythmia. During an arrhythmia, the heart can beat too fast, too slow, or it can stop beating. Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) occurs when the heart develops an arrhythmia that causes it to stop beating. This is different than a heart attack, where the heart usually continues to beat but blood flow to the heart is blocked.

There are many possible causes of SCA. They include coronary heart disease, physical stress, and some inherited disorders. Sometimes there is no known cause for the SCA.

Without medical attention, the person will die within a few minutes. People are less likely to die if they have early defibrillation. Defibrillation sends an electric shock to restore the heart rhythm to normal. You should give cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to a person having SCA until defibrillation can be done.

If you have had an SCA, an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) reduces the chance of dying from a second SCA. (NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)