For survivors and families
Sudden cardiac arrest is common and can be a devastating event for patients and their loved ones.
Unlike a heart attack, where a part of the heart's muscle becomes injured, cardiac arrest means the heart has stopped beating and blood stops flowing in the body. This can result in damage to the entire body and, without immediate treatment, death. More information about what a cardiac arrest is can be found here.
CPR can sometimes revive patients who have suffered from a cardiac arrest. You can learn CPR and save a life.
Most patients who are revived from cardiac arrest are critically ill and need to be treated in the intensive care unit. There are many causes and consequences of cardiac arrest, so the exact treatments you or your loved one receive will vary based on their individual needs. General information can be found here.
In general, a patient revived from cardiac arrest needs the following treatments after arriving at the hospital:
Early resuscitation in the hours to days after cardiac arrest to stabilize the patient, identify the cause of cardiac arrest and prevent it from happening again
Specialize treatments to monitor the brain and protect if from new injury
For a patient who remain unconscious after several days, tests to measure the extent of brain damage and determine if (and how well) the patient might recover
When a patient recovers sufficiently to leave the hospital, comprehensive medical, social and emotional support service to ensure recovery continues after discharge.
More information for survivors of cardiac arrest and their loved ones can be found here.