Cardiac arrest
Description | CPR being administered during a simulation of cardiac arrest.
Specialty | Cardiology, emergency medicine
Symptoms | Loss of consciousness, abnormal or no breathing
Usual onset | Older age
Causes | Coronary artery disease, congenital heart defect, major blood loss, lack of oxygen, very low potassium, heart failure
Diagnostic method | Finding no pulse
Prevention | Not smoking, physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight
Treatment | Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), defibrillation
Prognosis | Survival rate ~ 10% (outside of hospital) 25% (in hospital)
Frequency | 13 per 10,000 people per year (outside hospital in the US)