Cardiac arrest/pause/shock

[Sunshineandflower]

My 52 y old husband had a cardiac arrest and heart attack (100% blocked artery) I was with him so did CPR straight away so luckily he came back in 10-15 seconds. I've seen an arrest in the past so I thought that was it. In hosp resus doing the emergency stent a cardiac pause was mentioned as happening in the procedure but he came back ok. Has anyone else had experience with a thankfully short cardiac arrest event? I know there are different words used arrest, pause, shock but they all look / are the same as in the person 'stops' / oxygen not getting through. Thank you

[sturon]

Hi. What a terrifying experience for both of you. Six years ago, my husband had two 'episodes'. He has long QT Syndrome which can lead to sudden cardiac arrest. Like you I was able to perform CPR. I urge everyone to learn CPR. The ambulance arrived very quickly, and he survived. After weeks in ITU and cardiology the medical team recommended he had a defibrillator implant (an S-ICD).

It took us many months to adjust. I was constantly watch him in case he collapsed again. He was frightened and depressed for several months. He wouldn’t go into crowded places, and I was overcome with anxiety.

Well, all that was 6 years ago. After a few months we both relaxed and started to put the events behind us. We had a couple of short breaks away and then finally started to travel, until the pandemic stopped us. The airport security was a bit of an ordeal but now we have a system sorted. I look after the bags, and he gets the ‘Royal’ treatment and passes through security with easy. We have our next trip to South Africa all booked for next month.

We view the implant (which he calls Sparky) as his 24/7 paramedic. There if he ever has another cardiac arrest and constantly monitoring him.

Life will slowly get back to ‘normal’ and your husband and you will adjust given time. We have and so will you.

I wish you well.

[Sunshineandflower in reply to sturon]

Thank you for your reply sturon. You and your husband have been through a lot! I wonder if my husband came 'back round' so quickly as I saw his arrest happen so CPR was immediate or whether he would have come back on his own and it was a pause or cardiac shock which I've since read about. I don't know why I wonder about these little things as they are near enough the same but I'm not sure that the ambulance or hospital knew fully. They were obviously concerned about him and three types of crew turned up and attached 'jump' leads as I call them, husband was cracking jokes but of course he could have arrested again at any moment, they wouldn't let him walk downstairs to ambulance or get out of bed to loo in ccu for two days because of the risk. Right lower artery 100,% blocked. Another stent done this week as daycase to another partially blocked artery. Yes sturon I kept checking my husband but after a few weeks getting bit more confident to not keep doing that. I can understand you completely especially as your husband has had terrible problems. 'sparky' ...love it! Have a great holiday! Best wishes.

[Lezzers]

Yes, my husband had a cardiac arrest many years ago & having developed heart failure he was fitted with an ICD. Earlier this year he started having VT's and at one point he had a cardiac pause. This was captured on an ECG as he had paramedics attending him at the time, he had just passed out & that was when it was recorded.

[Sunshineandflower in reply to Lezzers]

Thank you Lezzers. Sorry sounds like your husband has had more heart problems on top of what he already went through...very worrying for you. Thank you that's interesting hearing someone else mention a pause. My husband had that 'frozen' look then some seizure type activity. ...before passing out. .. of course it's all electrics isn't it. I really hope your husband doesn't run into too many more problems. Best wishes.