Sudden Cardiac Arrest

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is when the heart suddenly stops beating effectively. Within seconds the person collapses, stops breathing normally and loses consciousness. Without immediate help, death follows in minutes.

Cardiac arrest vs heart attack

• A heart attack is a plumbing problem — a blocked artery starves part of the heart of blood. The person is usually awake, with chest pain.
• Cardiac arrest is an electrical problem — the heart's rhythm fails. The person collapses and is unresponsive.
• A heart attack can trigger cardiac arrest, but they are not the same thing.

What to do — the first 10 minutes matter most

• Dial 112 and say "cardiac arrest, not breathing."
• Start chest compressions immediately. Push hard and fast in the centre of the chest — about 100-120 compressions per minute, at least 5 cm deep. Don't stop to check for a pulse.
• If someone nearby can, send them to fetch an AED (automated defibrillator) — increasingly available in airports, metros, malls, offices and large hospitals.
• Keep compressing until the ambulance arrives or the person starts breathing normally. Even imperfect CPR is dramatically better than no CPR.

Who is at risk

• Anyone with known heart disease, previous heart attack, or heart failure.
• Some inherited rhythm disorders — sometimes undetected until a family tragedy.
• Young athletes with undiagnosed structural heart disease (uncommon but devastating).
• Severe electrolyte disturbance or drug overdose.

India context

Cardiac arrests in India happen at younger ages than in Western populations, mirroring the earlier onset of heart disease. Bystander CPR rates are low — most passers-by don't know CPR or are afraid to intervene. Learning basic CPR — 10 minutes of hands-only instruction — is one of the highest-impact things any adult can do. No legal risk applies to a bystander helping in good faith. The Good Samaritan guidelines (Supreme Court, 2016) protect those who help accident and medical emergency victims.

Myth-correction

"Cough-CPR" does not work. You cannot save yourself by coughing during a cardiac arrest. If you feel chest pain or abnormal palpitations, dial 112 and get to an emergency room — don't rely on any self-manoeuvre.