Cardiac arrest

Sudden cardiac death
Cardiac crisis
Acute coronary syndrome

Nature

A cardiac arrest is when an bio-electrical issue or malfunction causes a lethal rhythm disturbance that stops the heart and causes sudden death. A heart attack is related to a blockage in the blood flow in or around the heart, perhaps from a clot or vascular plaque, usually causing part of the heart muscle to die. The latter can also cause the former.

Background

Cardiac arrest emerged as a distinct medical concern with the recognition that sudden cessation of circulation could cause death within minutes, even in people without previously apparent illness. Twentieth-century advances in electrocardiography, closed-chest cardiac massage, defibrillation and emergency medical services transformed it from an almost uniformly fatal event into a time-critical, potentially reversible global emergency. Subsequent research established the importance of early recognition, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, rapid defibrillation and coordinated post-arrest care.