CARDIAC ARREST

Cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart no longer pumps blood to the brain or body.  This is a sudden and unexpected event that can possibly be reversed if an electrical shock can be rapidly delivered to the heart. The most common heart rhythm seen is ventricular fibrillation.  Victims are not just limited to those who have a known history of heart ailments.  People of all ages and levels of health have fallen prey to sudden cardiac arrest.

During ventricular fibrillation, the electrical signals that trigger the heartbeat become very fast and chaotic in the lower chambers of the heart.  This causes the normal pumping action of the heart to cease and without immediate emergency help, the heart cannot recover.  The human brain can survive four to six minutes after circulation has stopped before suffering damage and permanent death begins.

The sudden and life-threatening onset of ventricular fibrillation claims more than 350,000 lives outside of the hospital annually. That is more than 930 Americans each day!  Most of these are deaths caused by sudden cardiac arrest and the national survival rate of this population is only five percent.

Comparison - Normal vs. Fibrillation Heart Rhythm

Real Survivor Story - Gary Terry

	American Heart Association Real Life Survivor Story - Gary Terry Sudden Cardiac Arrest - AED Video (wmv file - 13 Mb - 12 min)

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