Resources                   

What is ‘Cardiac Arrest Survivorship’?

You, or your loved one, have gone through a very stressful event – a cardiac arrest – and are now a cardiac arrest ‘survivor’ or ‘co-survivor’. Being a survivor has long term effects. These can be with your heart, your brain, or other organs. This handout will detail some things to expect as you continue to recover. 

However, everyone’s recovery is different and you may have some, all or none of the effects we have listed below. Please seek out support as needed when questions or concerns arise. 

What to Expect Going Home

Leaving the hospital and returning home after cardiac arrest is a major step towards recovery. However, the in-hospital portion of your care is only one step in the process and your recovery can sometimes take several months or more.

The Post-Cardiac Arrest Service developed a Discharge Toolkit to guide survivors and their caregivers through the first steps after hospital discharge.

Physical Issues

When you leave the hospital, you may need support to complete the physical things you need to do (such as chores, driving, etc.). This can be challenging. You may need to be off work for some time after discharge - please ask your doctors about how long you must be off work. You may have other physical restrictions such as abstaining from sexual intercourse or not being allowed to drive for some time. Usually, these restrictions are temporary.

You may have been given a post-discharge rehab plan; following this plan can help you return to your activities sooner.

Cognitive/Thinking Issues

Some post cardiac arrest survivors notice more difficulty with their thinking when they go home as compared to when they are in the hospital. This is normal. It may be related to a more complex environment at home. You may be asked to avoid certain tasks until you can complete them. For example, you may be asked to not be alone at home or not make financial decisions until you are ready to do so.

Generally, post cardiac arrest survivors see a gradual improvement in these difficulties over about one year. Many survivors make a full recovery sooner.

Emotional Issues

You may have emotional needs after you leave the hospital and go back to your daily activities. Going home or back to work may trigger some of these. Other post cardiac arrest survivors have emotional feelings later, such as 3-6 months after leaving the hospital. These feelings are common and normal. Although these may be managed independently, many survivors feel better after seeing a mental health professional and starting therapy / medications.

For residents of Southwestern Pennsylvania, additional mental health resources can be found here.

Spiritual Issues

You may have spiritual questions after your cardiac arrest. This is normal. We recommend that you speak to your faith advisor, another mentor or another cardiac arrest survivor. Many survivors find support in survivors networks. 

Social Issues

Being a cardiac arrest survivor is new unchartered territory and some cardiac arrest survivors and family members have noticed social concerns after leaving the hospital. These can include issues with insurance or their job or difficulty obtaining medical care. If you find concerns such as these, you should contact your PCP or other caregivers to be referred to outpatient services. Some survivors’ insurance plans have case managers who can help, as well.

Caregiver Issues

As a caregiver or loved one of a cardiac arrest survivor (called a ‘co-survivor’), you may have many of the same issues as your loved one. Particularly, emotional and spiritual issues can be significant. You should not ignore or dismiss these, are they are a natural part of the process of being a caregiver and part of your healing. Some caregivers find support in other caregivers. Other caregivers find therapy to be useful. 

Where you can get help:

Cardiac Arrest Survivor Organizations / Groups

There are several organizations focused on cardiac arrest survivors. These organizations have excellent resources for survivors and their families. We recommend:

• The Cardiac Arrest Survivors Alliance (CASA) – https://casahearts.org

• Heartsight – https://ourheartsight.com 

Both of these organizations have members who are cardiac arrest survivors. Additionally, there are Facebook and other social media groups for survivors and their family members. Finally, your treating team may have a list of survivors who are willing to speak to you.

You can also find more information about cardiac arrest at:

• The Sudden Cardiac Arrest Foundation – https://www.sca-aware.org/

• Your local American Heart Association Chapter – https://supportnetwork.heart.org/s/

You can also contact us speak to one of our cardiac arrest specialists.