Unlike a heart attack, cardiac arrest is a condition in which the heart stops beating suddenly due to a malfunction in the electrical current in the heart. This can be life-threatening. The main causes are:
Coronary Artery Disease: The main cause of heart attack is blockage of the blood vessels to the heart due to fatty deposits. This reduces blood flow to the heart muscle and causes changes in the electrical waves.
Cardiomyopathy: Thickening or enlargement of the heart muscle reduces the heart’s ability to function. This can cause arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrest.
Congenital heart defects: Some people are born with defects in the structure or function of the heart. This is a common cause of sudden cardiac arrest in children and adolescents.
Electrical abnormalities: When there is a problem with the signals that control the heart rate, the heart beats too fast or irregularly. This can cause the heart to stop pumping blood.
Excessive strain and stress: Severe physical exertion, excessive blood loss, or large fluctuations in the levels of elements such as potassium and magnesium in the body can cause the heart to stop working suddenly.
