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A sudden cardiac arrest is when a person’s heart suddenly stops beating. The brain and vital organs don’t get enough oxygen . The person will be unresponsive and not breathing (or not breathing normally).
A cardiac arrest is a medical emergency but quick action from bystanders can improve a person’s chance of survival. Every minute counts when a person is in cardiac arrest.
If you think someone is in cardiac arrest, follow the steps of Call, Push, Shock:
• Call Triple Zero (000) immediately. The operator will talk you through what you need to do, including how to perform CPR.
• Push hard and fast in the middle of the person’s chest to deliver CPR.
• Use an AED to deliver a shock as soon as possible. Anyone can use an AED; you don’t need special training. The device will talk you through the steps you need to take.
Remember, any attempt at resuscitation is better than no attempt. If you think a person is in cardiac arrest, your quick action can give them the best chance of survival. Call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
Your heart’s electrical system controls the rate and rhythm of its pumping. A cardiac arrest is usually caused by an electrical malfunction in your heart’s electrical system that causes your heart to stop pumping.
Although coronary heart disease is a common cause of sudden cardiac arrest, other causes include trauma, breathing problems, drowning, electrocution, allergic reactions or other medical conditions. Sometimes there’s no clear cause of a cardiac arrest.
Cardiac arrest can happen at all ages but is most common in people over the age of 70.
A cardiac arrest can happen to any of us.
Almost 80% of cardiac arrests that occur out of hospital occur in people’s homes, but a cardiac arrest can happen anywhere, at any time.
Every year in Australia, more than 26,000 people have a cardiac arrest out of hospital, and only about 10% of these people survive.
A cardiac arrest happens suddenly and rapidly. It often occurs with no warning. The person in cardiac arrest will:
A sudden cardiac arrest is different to a heart attack. We explain the differences below. Remember, it is important to call Triple Zero (000) immediately if you think someone is having a heart attack or is in cardiac arrest.
Sudden cardiac arrest is when the heart suddenly stops beating. It is usually caused by an electrical problem inside the heart, but there are other causes too. If someone is in cardiac arrest, they will be unresponsive (unconscious) and not breathing normally, or at all. Sometimes a heart attack can lead to a sudden cardiac arrest. If you or someone is having a suspected heart attack, getting help as soon as possible can help prevent a cardiac arrest.
Head to Heart of the Nation’s Cardiac Arrest facts page to learn more.
CPR is a combination of mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing and chest compressions.
CPR helps to keep blood and oxygen circulating to the brain of a person whose heart has stopped beating, until the heart can be restarted.
CPR alone does not restore a normal heart rhythm. It does help keep the heart in a state where the AED has a greater chance of being able to do its job.
Compressions-Only CPR (COCPR) is CPR without rescue breaths (also known as ‘hands only CPR’). Both types of CPR double the person’s survival rates.
Remember, any attempt at resuscitation is better than none.
An AED is a portable electronic device that can detect life-threatening abnormal heart rhythms. These abnormal heart rhythms can cause a cardiac arrest.
An AED can help treat these abnormal heart rhythms by giving an electric shock to the heart. The idea is to ‘shock’ the heart back to a normal rhythm. This is known as defibrillation.
AEDs are smart – they will only give a shock if it is necessary. You cannot do any harm by using an AED on someone who is unconscious. An AED will not shock someone when a normal heartbeat is detected.
AEDs will also give simple step-by-step instructions. This means anyone can use an AED, even if you’ve never seen or used one before.
After a cardiac arrest, your doctor will try to discover its cause. They might arrange tests including imaging, blood tests and genetic testing. They may also want to test your immediate family members for any underlying conditions or risk factors for sudden cardiac arrest.
Your doctor will also discuss treatment options with you to reduce your risk of having another cardiac arrest.
There are people who have survived a cardiac arrest and gone on to live a healthy, fulfilling life. By joining our MyHeart MyLife online community, you can connect with people across Australia who are on a similar recovery journey.
Victoria Ambulance. Victorian Ambulance Cardiac Arrest Registry: 2021-2022 Annual Report. 2023. Available from: https://www.ambulance.vic.gov.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/VACAR-2021-2022-Annual-Report.pdf
Stiles MK, Wilde AAM, Abrams DJ et al. 2020 APHRS/HRS expert consensus statement on the investigation of decedents with sudden unexplained death and patients with sudden cardiac arrest, and of their families. Heart Rhythm. 2021;18(1):e1-50. doi:10.1016/j.hrthm.2020.10.010
Bray J, Howell S, Ball S et al. The epidemiology of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in Australia and New Zealand: A binational report from the Australasian Resuscitation Outcomes Consortium (Aus-ROC). Resuscitation. 2022;172:74-83. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2022.01.011
Riva G, Ringh M, Jonsson M et al. Survival in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest after standard cardiopulmonary resuscitation or chest compressions only before arrival of emergency medical services. Circulation. 2019;139(23):2600-2609. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.118.038179
Know the difference between heart attack and cardiac arrest, what symptoms and warning signs to look out for and how common they are in Australia
Particularly in the case of sudden cardiac arrest, because this is when someone’s heart abruptly stops beating, for no apparent or obvious reason.
Australian scientists will build the world’s largest-ever registry of sudden cardiac arrest deaths in a major bid to solve one of the most elusive and frightening mysteries of cardiovascular disease.
Last updated03 July 2024