What is Cardiac arrest ? Found this explanation in the copy of today's mail health section.

[sandybrown]

Medical terms decoded. This week: Cardiac arrest

Very simply, a cardiac arrest is when the heart stops pumping. It is often confused with a heart attack (myocardial infarction - where heart tissue dies because it isn't getting enough blood) - this can lead to cardiac arrest, but not always.

Cardiac arrest can be triggered by a heart condition, choking, electric shocks or losing a lot of blood. These all disrupt blood supply, leading to ventrical fibrillation, where the heart quivers rather than pumps.

A cardiac arrest is also different from heart failure. Heart failure does not mean that the heart stops completely - instead it struggles to pump blood efficiently. This is usually because it is not emptying itself of blood properly, and in turn not taking in enough oxygenated blood.

Someone who has gone into cardiac arrest will lose consciousness and have no pulse.

It is life-threatening and requires CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and defibrillation - CPR keeps blood and oxygen moving around the body, while defibrillators use electric shocks to get the heart pumping again. Heart attack, however, is usually treated with drugs to dissolve clots and restore blood flow to the heart, or surgery to widen the coronary artery, known as angioplasty

Read more: dailymail.co.uk/health/arti...

[daisyd]

I think everyone should know how to do CPR this can save a lot of lives it can help to keep a persons heart beating until the paramedics arrive and give the electric shock to get the Heart pumping .

It has recently been said that mouth to mouth is not necessary, the compressions have to done a lot quicker than they use to be

Anyway keep updated it is important

[Yellowtail]

Cholesterol clarity is a great thing but how about some web site clarity? I don't know if I'm a member or not. I received a few lines response to a question I asked with an invitation to read more which I couldn't. I have received an email I assume this means I'm a member but cant read the response. Your web site is an incomprehensible shambles of information full of blocks and gaps. Can some tell me if I'm a member or not and if so how do I access this important information please. A confused Yellow tail.

[sandybrown]

Hello,

Contact details:

Website

heartuk.org.uk/

Telephone

Helpline 08454 505988

you can call them to check. Hope this helps.