Search

Shop

Donate

Your heartHealthy livingFor professionalsResearchHow you can helpAbout us
A close-up of a heartbeat monitor displaying vital signs.

Cardiac arrest

Your heart

/

Cardiac arrest

Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone, anywhere and at any time.

What matters most is what happens in the first few minutes. Knowing what to do can help save a life.

Learn what to do if someone collapses

Heart of the Nation is the Heart Foundation’s dedicated program helping Australians understand cardiac arrest and what to do if it happens.

A woman finds a man in cardiac arrest in the park
A woman kneeling on the phone to Triple Zero, next to a woman who is cardiac arrest
Call, Push, Shock

A simple way to remember what to do if someone is in cardiac arrest.

A woman doing compressions on a mannequin that has AED pad applied
Attend a CPR and AED awareness session

One hour. Confidence for life.

A person lies unconscious on the floor as an AED is activated nearby, with visible medical supplies and illustrated instructions on the device.
AEDs

Find and use an AED on adults or children in cardiac arrest.

Last updated19 May 2026