Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) occurs when there is a problem with the heart’s electrical activity, resulting in the heart being unable to perform its vital job of pumping blood around the body. There is usually no warning that an arrest is about to happen and often no history of any heart trouble. The person will lose consciousness instantly and unless immediate CPR and defibrillation are administered, it will cause death within minutes.
An SCA can occur to anyone, at any time and at any age and it doesn’t matter how fit you are.
Although an SCA may be triggered by a heart attack, the causes are different. A heart attack is a “plumbing” problem caused when blood flow to the heart is blocked. Symptoms of an imminent heart attack may be experienced for some time beforehand and importantly the heart keeps pumping and the patient conscious.
The road to recovery can be a long and bumpy one and survivors and families often have many questions. Understanding what’s happened can be hard, especially in cases where there is no cause found (idiopathic).
This is where we can help, so check out our guide if you’re new to us.
From our blog…
The Serendipity Paradox: A Survivor’s Tale of Cardiac Arrest and Introspection
Shocked to be Here Still
Surviving 10 Years After SCA: A Decade of Memories and Challenges
