Sudden cardiac arrest is a medical emergency in which the heart suddenly and unexpectedly stops pumping blood effectively. It occurs when a fault in the heart’s electrical system causes an abnormal rhythm, most commonly ventricular fibrillation, that prevents the heart from beating in a coordinated way. Without blood reaching the brain, a person loses consciousness within seconds and will die within minutes without treatment.
Sudden cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack. A heart attack is a circulation problem: a blocked artery cutting off blood supply to part of the heart muscle. Sudden cardiac arrest is an electrical problem, and can occur without any prior warning, in people with no known heart disease.
Sudden cardiac arrest can affect anyone at any age, including children and young adults. In the UK, approximately 30,000 people experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest each year. Survival depends on immediate action: calling 999, starting CPR, and using a defibrillator as quickly as possible. Each minute without treatment reduces the chance of survival by around 10%.
Survivors of sudden cardiac arrest often face significant physical, psychological, and practical challenges in recovery, including cognitive difficulties, anxiety, PTSD, and fatigue. Sudden Cardiac Arrest UK exists to support survivors and co-survivors through every stage of that journey.
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