What is Cardiac arrest?
{{nosources|date=July 2014}} {{Infobox disease | Name = Cardiac arrest | Image = US Navy 040421-N-8090G-001 Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Flowers administers chest compressions to a simulated cardiac arrest victim.jpg | Caption = [[Cardiopulmonary resuscitation|CPR]] being given during a simulation of cardiac arrest. | DiseasesDB = 2095 | ICD10 = {{ICD10|I|46||i|30}} | ICD9 = {{ICD9|427.5}} | ICDO = | OMIM = | MedlinePlus = | eMedicineSubj = | eMedicineTopic = | MeshID = D006323}} '''Cardiac arrest''' happens when the [[heart]] suddenly stops beating. This can be caused by a [[Myocardial infarction|heart attack]] in which the heart's demand for oxygen is not met and the heart muscle begins to die. With cardiac arrest, normal [[circulatory system|circulation]] of [[blood]] stops, because of a failure of the [[heart]] to [[contraction|contract]]. This results in the body not getting enough oxygenated blood, which causes [[cell]]s to start to die from [[oxygen]] starvation. Cerebral [[hypoxia]] (lack of oxygen to the brain) makes a person lose [[consciousness]] and stop [[breath]]ing, and this makes the heart stop completely. Unless the person is in [[hypothermia]], [[brain damage]] usually occurs after three to five minutes. (In some cases, the person is put into hypothermia on purpose, to help the person recover better with less damage.) Cardiac arrest is a [[medical emergency]]. If it is treated early enough, some damage done can be reversed in certain groups of patients. When cardiac arrest leads to a person's death, this is called [[sudden cardiac death]] (SCD). [[First aid]] treatment for cardiac arrest usually begins with [[cardiopulmonary resuscitation]] (CPR) to keep oxygenated blood flowing until medical treatment is available. {{biology-stub}} [[Category:Heart]] [[Category:Medical emergencies]]