How to Save a Patient Having Sudden Cardiac Arrest?

Introduction

Approximately 7 lakh people die each year from sudden cardiac arrest in India, representing 10% of all deaths. But very few people are aware that the first 10 minutes are crucial and can make all the difference in saving a patient during a sudden cardiac arrest.

A cardiac arrest is the sudden, abrupt loss of heart function in a person who may or may not has diagnosed with heart disease. It occurs suddenly when the heart stops pumping blood around the body. It prevents blood flow to the organs, which can be fatal without immediate treatment.

Getting immediate first-aid for a cardiac arrest within the first 10 minutes would be best. After that, the effectiveness of CPR and rapid defibrillation decreases rapidly, and the survival rate worsens.

Recognizing the Cardiac Arrest Symptoms

Sudden cardiac arrest is an emergency wherein your heart suddenly stops beating. Due to the lack of oxygen to your body cells, a sudden cardiac arrest may turn fatal in a few minutes. So, the first crucial step toward prompt treatment recognizes a cardiac arrest. In a lot of cases, sudden cardiac arrest symptoms are unobservable. However, a few symptoms can be noticed and taken action after that.

Cardiac Arrest Symptoms include:

• Racing heartbeats
• Shortness of Breath
• Lightheadedness
• Dizziness
• Fainting

All these symptoms indicate that a potentially dangerous heartbeat problem has started in your body, and you need immediate treatment.

Handling Cardiac Arrest - Taking immediate action is the Key

Most people in India do not know how to respond when someone suddenly collapses due to cardiac arrest. After a collapse, survival chances decrease by 7-10% with each passing minute. The fastest way to help the patient is by performing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). As someone performs CPR, do not forget to dial the emergency medical number for immediate medications.

To perform CPR, you must follow the steps given below:

 1.   Start chest compressions by covering the first hand with the other and placing the heel of one hand in the middle of the person's chest.

2.  Utilize your upper body weight, press down hard and quickly on the person's chest at approximately 100 compressions per minute while maintaining straight elbows.

3.  You only need one hand for a child. Keep doing this until emergency personnel arrive or an automated external defibrillator (AED) is available.

Treatment

A person who has suffered a cardiac arrest requires treatment at a trusted source hospital after receiving emergency care.

At the hospital, doctors may administer medications to lower the risk of a second cardiac arrest and closely monitor any symptoms. After that, they run tests to determine what led to the arrest. The doctors will then use the test results to create a long-term treatment plan.

Sudden Heart attacks in a healthy person may necessitate medical surgery to restore blood flow to the heart. Additionally, doctors may suggest an implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). ICDs are small devices that control arrhythmias by sending electrical shocks to the heart and maintaining its regular rate. This device is inserted beneath the skin of the chest or abdomen by a specialized cardiologist.

The doctor may also suggest a diet and lifestyle that is good for the heart. They might offer cardiac rehabilitation, a brief support course, and education.

Prevention

You can lower your risk of cardiac arrest by living a healthier lifestyle. Your lifestyle must include a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and not smoking. Having a moderate weight is also essential.

People who are at a higher risk of having cardiac arrest, such as those with heart disease, may need to take medication to prevent or reduce their risk. Medications that a doctor may prescribe include those that lower blood pressure or statins to reduce cholesterol. People who have had a cardiac arrest in the past can reduce their risk of having another one by having an ICD implanted and closely following their treatment plan.

Tests after Cardiac Arrest Diagnosis

If you receive a diagnosis of coeliac disease, you may also undergo additional tests to determine the extent of your symptoms.

You might have additional blood tests to check your blood's iron levels and other vitamins and minerals. The blood tests will assist in determining whether the coeliac disease has resulted in issues like iron deficiency anaemia, or a lack of iron in the blood, due to poor nutrient absorption.

A skin biopsy must be achieved to verify if you have dermatitis herpetiformis, also known as an itchy rash. A small skin sample will be taken from the affected area and examined under a microscope for this procedure, performed under local anaesthesia.

If a general practitioner believes your condition has affected your bones, they may also recommend a DEXA scan. Osteoporosis, or bone brittleness, can result from inadequate nutrient absorption in coeliac disease. A DEXA scan is an X-ray that looks at a bone density to see if you're more likely to break your bones as you get older.

Conclusion 

You can learn about cardiac arrests on websites or vlogs published by trusted medical healthcare centers. You can always refer to the internet to know what diet you should follow to prevent sudden cardiac deaths. A perfect lifestyle always reduces the risk of getting heart disease. However, the internet can only sometimes give you the right results for what to do and what not to do. So, if you think you must talk to someone about Sudden Cardiac Arrests or you need any help regarding the treatment for cardiac arrests, then feel free to visit Medanta. Here, the doctors are trained and experienced and will give you the best treatment and advice.

People who have cardiac arrest need to get CPR and defibrillation treatment right away. AEDs, or defibrillators, can be found in public areas. Perform CPR until emergency personnel arrives and administer defibrillation if none is available. Even for emergencies, you may always reach out to Medanta.