Andy Armstrong

How to Identify Signs and Symptoms of Cardiac Arrest



Posted: Saturday, January 08, 2011

by Andy Armstrong
http://cardiopulmonaryarrest.org

Typically by the time you can tell it's cardiac arrest it's too late to do anything about it as the heart has already ceased to function. Fortunately, in many cases there are warning signs and risk factors that can at least help predict the possibility of cardiac arrest, and in this article we'll be looking at some of these. The most important factor when it comes to cardiac arrest is giving immediate assistance to get the heart working again.

In some instances, there are no signs of heart problems before cardiac arrest but that is definitely an exception and not the general rule. A cardiac arrest is more likely to occur among people who have high blood pressure, heart disease, or who have already experienced one heart attack. The risks can be reduced by those in the high risk group through close medical monitoring and medication. Medications and lifestyle changes can greatly diminish the risks of cardiac arrest. In some cases, people experience dizziness or nausea before going into cardiac arrest. Although these symptoms can have many other causes as well, if a person is at risk for heart disease it may be cause for concern. All possible symptoms should be taken seriously because heart problems can occur in young people and those considered healthy. Lightheadedness can occur in people suffering from a heart attack. In most cases, the heart doesn't stop beating during a heart attack, differentiating it from cardiac arrest. It's important to treat any heart related symptoms immediately, however, as heart attacks and other heart conditions can lead to cardiac arrest.

Cardiac arrest, along with other heart conditions, can also be the result of certain birth defects. One of these conditions would be an enlarged heart. The risks can be lowered by taking proper medications and carefully monitoring the heart. Some instances warrant the implantation of an internal defibrillator to further protect from cardiac arrest. The odds of cardiac arrest are greater among those who have certain birth defects but it can happen to anyone.

Cardiac arrest remains a very real threat to human health despite amazing advances in recent years in the medical field. Although there are general risk factors and warning signs to watch for, it can happen to anyone. A heart that is no longer beating is the one sure sign of cardiac arrest - this is why stimulation, to get the heart beating again, is needed immediately in these situations. Paying attention to the signs above might help you accurately gauge the risk factors and perhaps even identify cardiac arrest when it happens.
This Article has been viewed 229 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
No comments yet.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.