What Is The Most Common Cause Of Sudden Cardiac Arrest? Is It Avoidable? Expert Explains

People at risk of cardiovascular problems find themselves taking extra precautions in the winter months. Our body physiology changes to make it suitable for us to live in cold weather. This year though, the challenge for them is two-fold. According to estimates, most of the Indian population has been exposed to covid and with reports coming in about the hypercoagulation associated with covid, people need to take special care of themselves. 

Heart problems and associated disorders are the greatest killers in the world. The most dangerous aspect of these diseases/disorders is that the cause may fester inside our body – high blood pressure, thick blood, arrhythmias – but we seldom can spot them before it is too late. India finds itself in a country with one of the highest occurrences of heart failures, heart attacks, and strokes, amongst others. In last one-year India has witnessed young famous personalities like Sidharth Shukla, Puneeth Rajkumar and Kamal Khan who have succumbed to cardiovascular diseases. Every year, we lose at least 7 lakh people to Sudden Cardiac Arrest just in India. 

Sudden Cardiac Arrest and its Causes

Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is scary. It can happen anytime and anywhere, and as seen in the last two decades, to anyone. Cardiac arrest is an abrupt halt in the functioning of the heart, in other words, the heart stops beating, which leads to a person losing their breathing and consciousness. It is an electrical problem, where, the electrical system of the heart causes issues in circulating the blood, which ultimately leads to the heart not being able to pump the blood. 

An episode of SCA is not as sudden as the name might suggest. There is always a cause and early signs to most of the conditions. A person is most susceptible to SCA if they are undergoing an episode of heart attack, which might mess up the heart's electrical system. However, other cardiovascular diseases may also result in someone going through a cardiac arrest. Other heart defects that may increase the chance of SCA include congenital heart defect (heart defect by birth), enlarged heart, and coronary heart disease. 

We should also refrain from coming in contact with cold water especially, in extremely cold conditions, as the shock received from contact with cold water might make the heart stop. 

Once we lose our heart function, we lose our ability to breathe, and the pulse stops, but there are certain early signs. We must consult a physician if we are facing problems such as chest pains, palpitations, and unexplained wheezing.

Common Risk Factors

Just like other diseases, there are certain lifestyle habits and other factors that increase the chance of getting SCA. Smoking and pollution are the primary causes of concern, as is the case with every other cardiovascular disorder. While SCA are more common in above 60 years of age group, however there has been a rise in number of cases in 20 + years of age group, which is a major concern. A lot of researchers are trying to establish a connection between cardiac arrests and mental health of the youth. People with chronic kidney disease are also at higher risk of SCA.

Can we Save Someone Whose Heart Has Stopped Beating?

It is possible to save someone whose heart may have stopped beating. Time is of the utmost importance here, as soon as someone collapses, medical help should be contacted, and until it reaches, we must give the patient CPR and keep on pumping their chest in a regular rhythm. A defibrillator might be required to kickstart the heart again, but chest compressions can help too.

We must make sure that people who have heart defects maintain a healthy lifestyle in order to avoid SCA. We must make them do physical activities, eat healthy food, and give up smoking is a must. 

Though no one can predict an SCA, and therefore, no one can be sure to avoid it, however, there are new technologies that doctors have turned their attention to, to help people who are at risk of cardiac arrest. Doctors can recommend specialized implants that functions as a micro defibrillator attached inside the skin like Subcutaneous Implantable Defibrillator (S-ICD).

No technology on our horizon can cure heart defects, especially something as final as a SCA but new technologies have made the problems manageable. The most important thing we can do is keep our loved ones safe is provide them with proper first aid till the help arrives.

(Dr Rajesh Sharma, Senior Cardiologist, Saroj Super Speciality Hospital & Saroj Medical Institute Rohini0

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