Cardiac Arrest

Hospitals' cardiac arrest incidence and survival rates go hand in hand

Hospitals with the highest rates of cardiac arrests tend to have the poorest survival rates for those cases, new University of Michigan Health System research shows.

Cardiology created 13 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Study finds improved CPR quality saves lives

(Medical Xpress)—Life-saving CPR has been a foundation of emergency medicine for more than a half century. But researchers at the University of Arizona College of Medicine-Phoenix are continuing to refine the procedure, ...

Cardiology created 20 hours ago | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Study suggests new role for ECMO in treating patients with cardiac arrest and profound shock

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a procedure traditionally used during cardiac surgeries and in the ICU that functions as an artificial replacement for a patient's heart and lungs, has also been used to resuscitate ...

Cardiology created May 17, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Research identifies infection and sepsis-related mortality hotspots across the US

In the past, researchers have sought to determine the geographic distribution of many life-threatening conditions, including stroke and cardiac arrest. Now, researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine ...

Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes created May 15, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Medical myth: Flatlining patients can be shocked back to life

Beep….beep……….beep……….beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. "We're losing him. Out of my way, nurse!" The quick-thinking young doctor charges the defibrillator paddles and places them on the chest of ...

Cardiology created May 14, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0

Estrogen levels tied to risk for sudden cardiac death in study

(HealthDay)—Higher levels of the hormone estrogen are associated with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death in men and women, a new study suggests.

Cardiology created May 11, 2013 | popularity 4.5 / 5 (2) | comments 0

Gene offers clues to new treatments for a harmful blood clotting disorder

(Medical Xpress)—A gene associated with both protection against bacterial infection and excessive blood clotting could offer new insights into treatment strategies for deep-vein thrombosis—the formation ...

Genetics created May 08, 2013 | popularity 5 / 5 (1) | comments 0 | with audio podcast

Less than half of deaths after angioplasty result of procedure, study shows

Only 42 percent of the deaths occurring within 30 days of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) were attributable to complications from the procedure, according to a Cleveland Clinic study published online in the Journal of ...

Cardiology created May 07, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Researchers determine where best to place defibrillators

TORONTO: Prompt use of an automated external defibrillator, or AED, can greatly increase the survival rates of people who suffer a cardiac arrest. And MIE Professor Tim Chan, working with Dr. Laurie Morrison at St. Michael's ...

Cardiology created May 02, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Study finds survival from cardiac arrest highest in the operating room or post-anesthesia care unit

A University of Michigan study from the "Online First" edition of Anesthesiology found cardiac arrest was associated with improved survival when it occurred in the operating room (O.R.) or post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) ...

Cardiology created May 01, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Scripts help novice instructors teach pediatric CPR

New, low-tech teaching techniques used by novice instructors may improve training for healthcare providers in performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) on children who suffer cardiac arrest. Researchers ...

Pediatrics created Apr 24, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Study examines outcomes of use of beta-blockers around time of surgery for higher-risk patients

Patients at elevated cardiac risk who were treated with beta-blockers on the day of or following noncardiac, nonvascular surgery had significantly lower rates of 30-day mortality and cardiac illness, according to a study ...

Cardiology created Apr 23, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Cold-blooded research has hearts thumping

The protective effect of inducing controlled hypothermia following sudden cardiac arrest will now be investigated in detail. The goal of the scientific work is to judge whether this type of cryotherapy can ...

Cardiology created Apr 22, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Reducing the pain of movement in intensive care

Monitoring pain and providing analgesics to patients in intensive care units (ICUs) during non-surgical procedures, such as turning and washing, can not only reduce the amount of pain but also reduce the number of serious ...

Other created Apr 17, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0

Beaumont doctors call for training to reduce sudden cardiac arrest fatalities in schools

One of the leading causes of death in the United States is sudden cardiac arrest, which claims the lives of more than 325,000 people each year. In a study published in the April issue of the journal Resuscitation, Beaumo ...

Cardiology created Mar 28, 2013 | popularity not rated yet | comments 0


Cardiac arrest, (also known as cardiopulmonary arrest or circulatory arrest) is the cessation of normal circulation of the blood due to failure of the heart to contract effectively. Medical personnel can refer to an unexpected cardiac arrest as a sudden cardiac arrest or SCA.

A cardiac arrest is different from (but may be caused by) a heart attack, where blood flow to the muscle of the heart is impaired.

Arrested blood circulation prevents delivery of oxygen to the body. Lack of oxygen to the brain causes loss of consciousness, which then results in abnormal or absent breathing. Brain injury is likely if cardiac arrest goes untreated for more than five minutes. For the best chance of survival and neurological recovery, immediate and decisive treatment is imperative.

Cardiac arrest is a medical emergency that, in certain situations, is potentially reversible if treated early. When unexpected cardiac arrest leads to death this is called sudden cardiac death (SCD). The treatment for cardiac arrest is cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) to provide circulatory support, followed by defibrillation if a shockable rhythm is present. If a shockable rhythm is not present after CPR and other interventions, clinical death is inevitable.

This text uses material from Wikipedia and is available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

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